A Different Kind of Mutant
by Jess Marylin
Summary: A young woman moves to New York. The strange thing is, unlike almost everyone else, she doesn't even seem bothered by the turtles' appearance. And how come she knows Splinter? Apparently, there's more to her than meets the eye. Turtles/OCs
1. Nightmare

_As you can probably tell, this is my first fanfic. It's a little AU. In this, the guys were about 1 when Splinter found them, so that would make them about 3 years younger than my OC. Any ideas are welcome. Please R&R! Hope you enjoy it!_

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><p>"Daddy?"<p>

The middle-aged man smiled down at the four-year-old who was holding onto his hand tightly. "Yes, hon?"

"I can't wait to see Splinter again! Uncle will be surprised to see us, won't he?"

The man gray-haired man chuckled. "I'm sure Splinter will be excited to see you too. But I don't think anything could surprise your uncle. He'll know we're there before we even knock on the door. Like last time, remember?"

"Just like you knew it was him the last time he came over." The child stated. "How do you guys do that?" The little face looked up at his, expression confused.

The father laughed. "Lots of practice. You'll be able to do that too, in time. If you keep up with your studies."

"I will, Daddy. Look! We're here!" The child pulled away from him, running into the small apartment, not even bothering to knock.

"Uncle Yoshi, we're here!" called a little voice from the foyer. No answer. "Uncle Yoshi?" The child walked into the room that had recently been converted into a dojo, followed closely by dad.

Not until they passed the threshold did they finally see the body lying in an unnatural angle on the floor.

"Uncle Yoshi!"

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><p>Annie jerked awake, panting. It wasn't long before she was able to calm herself down. She was used to this. That particular dream haunted her alot. Especially on the anniversary of Yoshi's death. She glanced at the clock. <em>2:15. Figures. <em>She untangled herself from the sheets with a sigh. There was absolutely no way she'd be able to go back to sleep now.

Quickly, Annie changed into her black ninja suit, buckled her silver belt and tied her silver mask over her eyes. The only way to get her mind off things was to go on patrol. Daddy hated her going out after midnight, but what else was she supposed to do? _Better to ask forgiveness then permission_, she thought, a wry smile on her lips.

She tucked her weapons into her belt and left a note for her father on the kitchen counter before slipping out into the cool, noisy New York night.

Annie had been patrolling for about an hour, but all was quiet. As quiet as the City that Never Sleeps could be. Absolutely nothing was happening. No muggings, no grand theft auto. Nothing. Sighing, she turned around and started back home when she heard a loud crash and someone yelling in a Brooklyn accent.

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><p><em>'Better to ask forgiveness then permission' is a quote from Eragon.<em>

_Bet you can't guess who Annie heard! Okay, you probably can..._


	2. Old Enemies

_I forgot! All TMNT characters don't belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

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><p> As Annie raced closer to the commotion, she could just begin to make out what Brooklyn-boy was yelling. He was threatening some creeps, trying to get them to leave someone named Mikey alone. A mugging. Had to be.<p>

When she got to the edge of the rooftop overlooking Brooklyn's alley, what she saw didn't even faze her. She'd seen so many weird things and done so many strange things that this seemed almost mundane to her. Even the sight of a giant, walking, talking turtle.

Two turtles, to be exact. Surrounded by at least thirty mean-looking men. The one in the orange mask was curled up in fetal position on the ground. Which would explain why she hadn't seen him at first. His arms curled over his head in an effort to protect himself from a baseball wielding goon.

The one in the red mask, the first turtle she had seen and so obviously Brooklyn-boy, looked as furious as a rodeo bull. But four goons were holding him at bay, a fourth getting ready to give him the same treatment as Orange, who she guessed was Mikey.

Then Annie took a closer look at the thugs and gasped. _What on earth are they doing here?_ She'd thought the FOH was history. Apparently she'd thought wrong.

Annie and the boys were vastly outnumbered, she could clearly see that. But she couldn't stand by and watch any longer. She had to act.

Silently, jumping from shadow to shadow, she made a quick descent into the ally, aware of Brooklyn's eyes on her as they followed every move she made. When she reached the ground, she put her finger to her lips and he gave her a barely imperceptible nod. Poised as a jungle cat she pounced on the man standing over Mikey, knocking him out fast. She tossed her weapons to Orange so he could defend himself better, then lunged across the alley to free Red.

As soon as Annie plowed into the first two goons, Brooklyn moved into action, quickly freeing himself. Lightning fast, his fist came at her, but she sensed that he wasn't aiming at her. Once again, her senses proved her right as his fist smacked into a FOH's face.

She should have sensed the goon behind her. She wasn't focusing, too caught up in her anger that the FOH was daring to show it's ugly face again.

Mikey made his way over to them, whirling her silver nunchuks expertly and yelling something that sounded like 'Cowabunga.' Together, the three fought their way through the gang making it to the fire escape and up to the rooftops. Annie took the lead, running to the closest safe place she could think of, conscious of the turtles racing right behind her. She could feel Mikey's confusion and curiosity and unexpected resentment from Red.

As soon as they reached her destination, she turned to face them. Before she could even open her mouth, Brooklyn beat her to the punch. "Who the shell are you?"

Annie smirked. She could feel that Brooklyn was a little embarrassed. Hence the lashing out. "I could ask you the same thing, Brooklyn-boy."

Mikey cracked up laughing.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R<em>


	3. Vampire?

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Thanks to BubblyShell22 for reviewing! You'll find the answers to your questions soon!_

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><p><em>Brooklyn-boy? Who does this girl think she is? <em>This pisses me off big time. This little girl helps us out only one time and she thinks she can smart off to me like that! Mikey's laughter isn't helping matters either. I'm so furious that it takes a few seconds for it to dawn on me that she's not scared of me or my brother. In fact, she's acting as if she saw mutant turtles every day.

Which in itself was very weird.

"Wait, you're not scared of us?"

"Yeah, most people would run away screaming for their lives!" Mikey said dramatically.

The girl grinned. "I tend to save the running away for later. At least until I know who and what I'm running away from. By the way, you still haven't told me your names." Her gray-blue eyes met each of ours in turn, resting on mine. "And until then, I'll keep calling you Brooklyn-boy." This time her expression was smug, like a very self-satisfied cat.

Mikey chuckled. "I'm Michelangelo. But you can call me Mikey! And this is my bro, Raphael. But you can call him Raphie."

Without even thinking about what I was doing, I smacked his head, all the while glaring straight into the girl's eyes. Which wasn't that difficult since she was exactly my height. "You ever call me that, and I'll strangle you."

Her eyes narrowed, the pupils turning into cat-like slits which made me freeze and caused Mikey to yelp in surprise. "You can try."

With that, she promptly spun on her heel and casually walked to the edge of the roof before turning back to us. "And you can call me Leopard." With that, she leaped over the side.

I reached the edge just in time to see her land in a crouch in the alley before disappearing into the shadows.

"What the shell was that?" I whispered to myself. Mikey must have heard me, because he started making that irritating noise. The one he gets off those stupid, second-rate monster movies that he likes to watch so much.

He gulped. "I'm thinking... vampire."

I roll my eyes, smacking him again for good measure. "Come on, Bonehead. Let's see where Leo and Don went to."

I take off, running the opposite direction that Leopard went and Mikey follows me, still muttering about vampires. _If he doesn't shut up soon, I am so going to strangle him._

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><p><em>Is Mikey right? Is she some kind of vampire? Only time will tell. Please R&amp;R.<br>_


	4. Pickle Juice

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. I hope Annie isn't becoming a Mary Sue._

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><p><em>I am such an idiot! <em>As soon as I had landed, the sudden pain in my ankle made me realize that I shouldn't have done that. That distance was clearly just beyond my limits. Once I was safely concealed in the shadows, I ran my hand gingerly over my foot, trying to feel for a sprain. Nothing. _Phew._

First the eyes, and then my acrobatics. Why oh why did I have to show off like that?

Because I'm the world's biggest idiot. Obviously.

That, and I'm tired of having to hide who I am. Or more precisely, what I am.

It wasn't until I crawled through the kitchen window back at the apartment that I realized that my ribs were aching and that I'd somehow managed to cut my arm. And the fact that I was weaponless. _Mikey still has my nunchuks._ _Brilliant. Way to go, Annaleigh._

Quietly, I closed Dad's door so I wouldn't wake him and got the first aid kit out. After I'd finished doctoring myself, I poured myself a glass of my favorite juice to nurse on while I thought more about Mikey and Raph and how I was going to explain myself to them. Or if I should I even see them again.

I never did get to the thinking. Before I could even manage the first swallow, I spit it out, spewing fruit juice halfway across the tiny kitchen. I grumbled irritably. Great, just great.

I brought the cup up under my noise. I could barely make out the smell, but it was there. Tabasco sauce. Dad had put Tabasco sauce in my juice. Again! Okay, so I had deserved it the last two times. But this is uncalled for. Now, THIS MEANS WAR!

As soon as I cleaned up my mess, Dad's automatic coffee machine started up. It's five already? Crap. I guess I'll be going to my interview tired.

As I poured out my contaminated juice, I got a brilliant idea. Something involving Cayenne Pepper, Pickle Juice, and a certain coffee maker. _Dad is so going to get it!_

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><p>Don and I were just finishing tying up a few PD's when Raph and Mikey finally showed up. Instantly, I knew something was wrong. Mikey was muttering and jumping at shadows. Raph looked very close to clocking him.<p>

"Mikey, what's up?"

Michelangelo nervously pulled two silver somethings out of his belt. "I think..." he gulped. "I think that Raphie and I just saw a vampire!"

I met Don's eyes before turning to Raph, "Okay, what did you do to him this time?"

Raph rolled his eyes, "Nothing, Fearless. He's just freaking himself out. Wouldn't be the first time."

"Dude! She clearly wasn't human!"

Raph looked even closer to losing his patience. "She had to have been, Mikey. I saw blood on the roof ledge. Vampires don't bleed, Bonehead."

"She?" Don moved closer to Mikey. "What do you mean 'she'?"

"I'm telling you! She had to have been some kind of vampire! She had eyes like a cat's and jumped straight from the roof to ground without even hurting herself! And you know what's even weirder?"

I decided to humor him. "I don't know Mikey. What?"

"Raph was glaring at her and she wasn't even scared!"

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R<em>


	5. Guardian?

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

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><p>Don had the girl's silver nunchuks now. "Are these Leopard's?"<p>

I nodded. "Yeah, she gave them to Mikey. Didn't seem to need them, herself."

Leo cocked his head at me, as Don examined the weapons. "What do you mean?"

I started to speak, but Mikey couldn't keep his mouth shut. He never can.

"She just flew in out nowhere! Knocked those thugs down like they were bowling pins!"

I rolled my eyes for what seemed like the umpteenth time that night. "That's not true, Mikey. I saw her jump down from the roof. I think she's some kind of mutant ninja. Like us."

"Mutant Guardian, more like," Don spoke up.

"Huh?"

Don showed one handle to us.

"I don't get it." Mikey's expression was puzzled. _Like it usually is_, I thought with a smirk.

I got to hand it to Donnie. His patience with our chucklehead brother is almost never ending.

"Right there. On the end of the handle. That's the Guardian's symbol. Strange. I've never seen one in silver before."

Don's right. All the Guardian symbols we've seen have always been gold.

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><p>I was not in a good mood this morning. Sure, two good things had happened. I had met two possible new friends and my prank on daddy worked like a charm. I'd even managed to get it on camera. And if I knew dad wouldn't go ballistic, I'd so send it in to AFV. It was that good.<p>

On the downside, and the reason for my bad mood, the FOH was back and I didn't get the job. Again. What is it with New Yorkers? Are they all so high and mighty?

I was so frustrated, I almost didn't notice the neon yellow posterboard 'Help Wanted' sign until I almost passed it. It was on the front window of a little antique shop. 2nd Time Around. I remember passing this place in the moving truck when Dad and I first moved in.

With my luck, I wouldn't get this job either, but who knows? Throwing caution to the wind, I stepped inside.

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><p><em>Why does Leopard have a silver Guardian's symbol? Please R&amp;R<em>


	6. Job

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

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><p>Three hours had gone by since Raph and Mikey had told us about Leopard. As soon as we had got back to the lair, we discussed it with Master Splinter. He had advised us to be cautious, as I knew he would. What I hadn't expected was the troubled look that had crossed our father's features as he disappeared into his room. It was almost as if Sensei knew something about this Leopard...<p>

Our home was quiet, except for the sounds of Raph blowing off some steam on his punching bag. It was obvious that this girl had irritated him. But I knew better to ask. Not at least until he calms down.

Mikey had gone with Don to visit Leatherhead. We had agreed that our alligator friend might know something about the silver symbol, being that he was raised by the Utroms and their guardians.

So, I decided to meditate. Something about Splinter's reaction troubled me.

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><p>Sensei obviously knew something. Why won't he tell us? This whole thing bites.<p>

I furiously kept beating at my punching bag. Who is she? She's brave, I'll give her that. But we know next to nothing about her. She could have been a Guardian-in-training or she could be some spy for Hun. And who were those guys that nearly beat the snot out of Mikey and me? I knew that they weren't Purple Dragons 'cause they kept going on about 'exterminate the mutants.' PDs call us freaks. Not mutants. And they're certainly not smart enough to use big words like 'exterminate.'

What really weirded me out was that Leopard seemed to know exactly who they were...

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><p>The antique store was smaller than I had expected. My limited experience told me that this place could easily be run by one person. Which perplexed me. Why was help needed here?<p>

I knew the reason why as soon as I saw the red-headed woman behind the counter. She was very pregnant. Eight months at least.

She smiled warmly at me. "Can I help you?"

I returned the smile. "Yes ma'am," I answered like a good little southern girl. "My name is Annaleigh Davies. I saw your 'Help Wanted' sign. I was wondering if I can fill out an application?"

"Of course," her smile brightened, as she passed the paper to me. "I'm April Jones, by the way."

I noticed the ring on her left hand, "Nice to meet you Mrs. Jones."

"You can just call me April. Mrs. makes me feel old."

I laughed at this and April joined me. She was pretty cool. And definitely not high and mighty.

"My dad says the same thing about Mr. How much interest have you had in this job so far?"

"None. Besides you, Annaleigh. In fact, if you want, the job's yours. You can start tomorrow."

I almost whooped. Hallelujah. "That's perfect." I handed the filled out paper back to her. "See ya then, April."

I was so happy that I almost skipped home. What kept me from doing so was the fact that I had just seen some little turtles in a pet shop window. What was I going to do about Michelangelo and Raphael?

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><p><em>The plot thickens... What does Splinter know? And what will Annie decide?<em>

_Please R&R_


	7. Fear

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

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><p>Two months have passed and I still haven't decided what I'm going to do about the two turtles. Ever since that night, I've been avoiding the area of town where we met. Call me chicken, but I have a good reason. Aside from meeting Leatherhead when I was just three, getting together with other mutants has never gone well for me. The last time I had met another mutant, back home in Miami, I had barely survived. I had come away with six broken ribs, a crushed leg, and a year of therapy. And I'll always have scars. I'm just thankful that they're easily covered.<p>

So, you can see why I'm still hesitant. Even though I know the boys won't hurt me. At least Mikey won't. His expressive blue eyes had been so trusting that they had just about made up for the obvious mistrust in Raphael's amber ones. And even then (okay, I admit it), I had gotten the feeling that Raphael wasn't thinking of hurting me. Unless I'd tried to hurt Mikey. Which I wouldn't even dream of doing.

So, I guess I'm going back to my rooftop tonight. My safe haven that I had been dumb enough to lead them to. I've missed it. It was the only place in New York where I could truly meditate. Even home has too many distractions.

Especially since I've started babysitting 1 month old Shadow Jones. I've only watched her occasionally. April and her crazy husband don't want to overwhelm me as I'm still working at the shop. I've told them that I don't mind, but apparently little Shadow's other babysitters can't get enough of her either.

Two hours later, after Casey had picked up his daughter, I stood by the door to the balcony, almost ready to go find the guys. But my uneasiness and fear was back in full power. I was so preoccupied with my mental struggle that I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt Daddy's hands on my shoulders.

"There is nothing wrong with being afraid," he begins, reading me like the open book that I am. "But, you must face your fears, or they will rule you." I smile. Dad's adopted his heavy 'Cherokee Mystic' accent. The one he uses when he's trying to lighten up my mood.

I turn around and hugged him, "I know Daddy. It's just hard."

"Everything is hard at first," he whispers in my ear, his voice back to it's normal light Cherokee accent. "But from what you've told me, these turtles are different. Maybe even trustworthy." He chuckled, pulling on my light auburn ponytail, "But you'll never know that if you're too afraid to step out the door."

I mock glared at him. "Fine. I'm going. I'll call you if they turn out to be trouble."

"You'd better."

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><p>Two months since Mikey and Raph had met Leopard. If Raph wasn't so adamant that everything Mikey had told us about her was true, I might have started to think that our youngest brother had just dreamed her up. But we had her weapons, and Raph had shown me the blood on the roof ledge.<p>

Which explained why I was on this rooftop and not babysitting Shadow. The same rooftop that Raph insists that we keep checking in case she come's back. Mikey is of a different mindset. His and Don's visit with Leatherhead had yielded no answers. Our resident Utrom expert is just as puzzled as we are. So, our crazy little brother is still thinking that she's some kind of were-cat monster out to get us. Even when there had been no full moon that night. At least he's stopped insisting that she's some kind of vampire.

I roll my eyes at that thought. Once Mikey has an idea, there's usually no deterring him. At least until he's staring the proof right in the eyes. Which is kind of hard since she's somehow managed to have disappeared from the face of the Earth. Typical. I sigh. I guess I'm gonna have to go home and attempt to try to reassure him. Again.

I rest my hand against the first rung of the fire escape's ladder, preparing to leap over the edge into the alley below, when I get the feeling that I'm being watched. My shoulders tense and I barely manage to hear a small hiss, not unlike the kind Klunk gives when he's surprised. I whip around, instinctively reaching for my katanas, only to freeze when my eyes meet a pair of cat-like ones. Cat-like eyes that are surrounded by a silver ninja mask. A mask the same exact color as the little nunchuks that she gave to Mikey.

Her wide blue-gray eyes hold the same kind of surprise that must be very obvious in my brown ones.

"How many of you are there?" Leopard asks, nervously flipping her long ponytail over her shoulder.

I can't answer right away. My mouth is wide open in shock. I had not expected her to appear. I definitely had not expected her to look exactly the way that Mikey described her. I'll never doubt my little brother again.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R. Story ideas and constructive criticism are very welcome. :)<em>


	8. Nicknames

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Thanks to BubblyShell22 and tealana for reviewing! I'm not sure when this fic will be finished. It's kind of writing itself. But I plan to update every day if I can.  
><em>

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><p>At the sight of this new turtle's slack-jawed expression, my fear disappeared and I giggled. "What's the matter. Never seen a girl mutant before, Blue?"<p>

He shifted uncomfortably. "It's not that, Leopard. I just wasn't expecting you to show."

"What do you mean?" But as soon as the question was out of my mouth I realized the answer. "You've been waiting for me. For how long?"

Blue seemed to have regained some of his composure, "Just for an hour tonight. But we've been checking this roof every day since you rescued my brothers. Thanks for that, by the way."

"Don't thank me. It was the least I could do. Anyways, what's your name? And do you have any brothers besides Raphael and Mikey?" I was not about to let my question go unanswered. And I was not going to walk away without this turtle's name either. I must have come across a little too strongly, because Blue stiffened and his right hand went for one of his katanas again. I held my hands up, palms facing him in a peaceful gesture. "I didn't mean to sound rude. Your brothers were the first mutants I've met in a long time that didn't try to kill me. It's only natural for me to be curious."

This seemed to placate him somewhat. Some emotion crossed his features, but it was gone before I knew what it was. He crossed his arms, still eyeing me warily. "You'll find that I'm not as trusting as Mikey."

Seems like I'm not going to get my answers. And I'm definitely not going to tell him all about myself either. We were at an impasse. And neither one of us was going to give. No matter how much his silent stare unnerved me. I backed off, getting closer to the safety of the shadows, my fear back in full force.

Blue must have seen the fear in my face and posture, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to know if we can trust you."

I stopped, half in shadow, "I could ask you the same thing."

"I haven't tried to attack you, have I?"

I shook my head, "And I haven't tried to attack you. That still doesn't mean anything. You could be lying to me, trying to con me. Wouldn't be the first time." I pulled up my sleeve to show him one of the ugliest of my scars. "And I don't make the same mistakes twice, Blue."

For the second time that night, shock crossed his features. He unfolded his arms. "Other mutants did that to you. Why?"

"They did worse than that." His eyes widened. "Why? Not all mutants respect others. Most of them will beat the crap out of you for just saying something nice about a normal human."

His face filled with pity, then went back to mistrust. Pity. That was the emotion that had crossed his face earlier. "How do I know you're not just saying this to make me feel sorry for you? If you really want me to trust you, then why don't you just tell me your real name, Leopard?"

I sighed. This conversation was going nowhere fast. "I can't. I created Leopard so I could do some good without putting those I care about in danger. I have a lot of enemies, Blue. The FOH included."

"The FOH?" He cocked his head, puzzled.

"The ones who almost killed Mikey and Raphael. They kinda fashioned themselves after that mutant-hating gang in the X-Men comics. Friends of Humanity. Kind of a lame idea, but I'm not gonna tell them that. Best to leave that den of rattlers alone." I started to leave, but stopped myself.

"If it makes you feel better, Blue, my nickname's Annie."

"Leo."

I gave him a mock salute. "Until next time, Leo." Then I disappeared into the shadows.

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><p><em>Any constructive criticism and story ideas are most welcome. Please R&amp;R.<em>


	9. Dead?

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

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><p>As soon as Leo walked in, I could tell something was up. He had that look on his face. The kind of look he gets when he's trying figure out something important so that he can plan his next move.<p>

"Where've you been, Fearless? You missed the news." Which is so unlike him. He's usually on the couch five minutes before it starts. And I'm not exaggerating.

"I went to Leopard's spot." I was so caught up in what he had to say next that I completely ignored the pun. It had been Mikey's idea to call the place that. And like with most of Mikey's dumb ideas, the name had somehow managed to stick.

"And. Was she there?"

He nodded, "Not at first, though. She showed up right before I decided to leave."

I crossed my arms, my impatience very clear in my posture. "Well? What happened? Who is she?"

He shook his head. "You're going to have to wait until everyone else gets back from their training run, Raph. I don't want repeat myself any more than I have to. And Mikey deserves to know the same time you do. She saved his life too, you know."

"Whatever." I roll my eyes and turn back to my punching bag. I'm still smarting over that. Even though Leopard is exactly our height, she's still much smaller than us. And I'm not used to getting saved by little girls.

It was an hour before Master Splinter, Mikey, and Don got back from their training run. Mikey was complaining again, no surprises there. But Leo's news shut him up fast, at least for just a few minutes. Fearless recounted the entire meeting with several interruptions from Mikey, who, annoyingly, wasn't about to give up on his monster theory. No surprises there.

"You're sure that she's not some kind of vampire, Leo? Or a were-cat?"

Don met my eyes and I nodded, giving him my permission for this time. Wordlessly, he smacked Mikey with his bo.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being so obtuse, Mikey," Don responded barely holding back a chuckle.

"I'm not obtuse. There's no way I'm obtuse. I can't be obtuse. I'm not obtuse-like at all!" He looked back at Donnie. "Umm... Donnie?"

"Yeah, Mikey?"

Our little brother's expression was beyond confused, "What does obtuse mean?"

Don sighed, hiding his face in his hands. "Never mind. You were saying, Leo?"

"Like I said. Raph, you and Donnie were right. Leopard is some kind of mutant. And the FOH, the one's that attacked you and Mikey, they're a gang of mutant haters."

"That all you got, Fearless? You said that you talked with her for about fifteen minutes." I arched a brow. "You should have gotten more than that."

"I don't think she's from New York. She had a very strong Southern accent."

"I could have told you that, Fearless." My voice was laced with sarcasm. "She did talk with us too, ya know."

Leo stiffened, but before he could snap at me, Donnie intervened. "Anything else, Leo?"

"She told me her nickname. But I think it'll be a while before she trusts us enough to tell us more."

Master Splinter had been quietly listening to us until now, "What was the name, my son?"

"Annie."

None of us missed the way our father's ears flattened against his skull. "That is impossible!"

Donnie was the first to speak up, "What do you mean, Sensei?"

Splinter's tail lashed. "She and her father died in a fire not long after I found you boys!"

All of us were quiet, except for Mikey. He was making that monster-movie noise again. I was too shocked at Sensei's news to even think about braining him.

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><p><em>Okay, so the boys got a few answers. Answers that only raise more questions. Who is Annie really?<em>

_Any story ideas and all constructive criticism are welcome to this writer. Please R&R._


	10. Scent

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. And if you have any ideas for a new character, I'd love to hear them!_

_One quick question. Should I stick with telling the story from the characters' points of view or go back to normal pov?_

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><p>The meeting with Leo had definitely not gone the way I had hoped. Even though we had parted on at least cordial terms, I had really wanted to walk away with the knowledge that I had gained a friend. Which hadn't happened.<p>

And I really had been hoping that Raphael and Mikey had been there too. Mikey had acted like I was his best buddy. I'd never been treated that way before by a stranger. I'd never had a buddy, either. The only people who had ever treated me with such kindness was my father and a long lost loved one. Uncle Yoshi. Even though it's been years, the pain of his loss is still very fresh.

I immediately derailed that train of thought before I started crying. I was almost home and I knew Daddy would still be up, waiting for me. I didn't want to alarm him for no reason.

I turned my thoughts to Raphael. He was a puzzle I couldn't quite figure out. It was obvious that there was a softer side to him, since he seemed so protective of Mikey. But at the same time, he was almost as hard as his shell. Very macho, I guess. Probably too much for his own good. Of course, I had no idea if my musings were true. Hence the reason why I really wanted to see him again. I wanted to see Mikey too, of course.

Leo was a different puzzle altogether. Much easier to figure out. A 500 piece instead of a 1000. As we had talked, I had managed to figure out a little more about him than I had his hard-shelled brother (no pun intended). He was very much the take charge kind of turtle. His stance clearly showed that he was used to giving orders. But he still had some uneasiness about him. As if he was still a little uncertain. I had recognized that little nuance right away. It was a problem that I myself, even at twenty years old, still struggled with. The fear of failure. The fear of becoming a disappointment.

No matter how many times Uncle Yoshi or Daddy had told me that they were proud of me, I still couldn't shake it. Sure, it was better than it had been, but the problem was still there. Like a dark cloud hanging over everything I do.

I shake my head. Know is not the time for a philosophical debate with myself. I must be really tired. I can't seem to keep my thoughts going were I want them to.

Frustrated, I force my concentration back onto my talk with Leo and the things he hadn't said. He obviously was a little afraid of disappointing someone. Which meant that he still had at least one parent, possibly. And he'd gotten very defensive when I'd asked him if he had any more brothers. Which meant that he did, probably. Maybe he even had sisters. If so, how many?

Okay, I'm definitely beyond tired. I just smacked face first into the balcony door.

My face reddens in utter humiliation as I hear muffled laughter coming from the other side of the beveled glass door. _Dad is never going to let me live this one down. Wonderful._

It wasn't until the next day when I was at work did I realize something else about my meeting with the blue-masked Leo last night. Something that had also been there when I had met Raphael and Mikey too. A very familiar scent. I knew it wasn't theirs, but had come from something else. Or someone else.

Then, my mind finally put two and two together and I banged my head on the underside of the antique desk I was polishing. I didn't notice the pain.

I knew who the scent belonged to. And it didn't make any sense. The owner of that particular earthy scent was supposed to be long dead. No way could he still be alive.

"You okay over there, Annaleigh?" Casey calls from across the room.

I grimace. Not because of the pain, though. "I think so, Case," I call back. At least, I hope am. Maybe, after all these years, I've finally gone crazy.

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><p><em>I welcome any story ideas and all constructive criticism. Please R&amp;R.<em>


	11. Spray Paint

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

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><p>One week later and we were all still shook up from Splinter's news. We'd tried to get him to tell us more, but he'd refused. I had a feeling that he knew the real Annie almost as well as he knew Master Yoshi. And missed her just as much. Whoever she was.<p>

One good thing did manage to come out of it, though. Mikey finally gave up on the monster theory. Now he was just as convinced as I was that Leopard was a fake. He and I both agreed (which doesn't happen very often, I might add) that she must be a spy for Hun. How else would she know to use a name from Splinter's past?

Since that night, Leo had kept us cooped up in the lair, training us extra hard. I knew that he just wanted to be prepared, but I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get out. And of course I made my intentions known. Which had led to a fight. Somehow, I'd managed to get out of there before it came to blows. I'm still surprised about that.

I wasn't paying much attention to where I was going, focusing only on blowing off some steam. So I was pretty surprised when I found myself on the roof of Yoshi's abandoned apartment. I knew this was the place 'cause Splinter brought us here not long after our first fight with the Shredder, when dad had collapsed that water tower on him.

The hiss of several spray cans brought my attention down the alleyway just on the right of the building. Three PDs up to no good. I was just about to teach them a lesson when a tiny teenaged girl, not much taller than me, literally flew out the front door and marched toward them. _This place is abandoned. What the shell was she doing in there? _ Her long auburn hair hung around her infuriated face and she was yelling at them to stop. _No stupid! _ I thought. _ Get out of there! Turn around! GO!_

But she kept on going, completely oblivious to the danger that she was putting herself in. I pulled my sais from my belt.

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><p>On my way home from work a week after my revelation, I'd decided to visit Uncle Yoshi's old apartment. I hadn't been by there in sixteen years. And I wanted to pay my respects. It was a little of my way and the sky was already darkening, but I didn't care. I could take care of myself. And this was something I needed to do. I'd put it off for much too long.<p>

I reached the front door of the abandoned apartment and pulled my keyring out of my pocket, fitting an old key into the lock. Even after all these years, it still worked. Quickly, I let myself in, locking the door behind me. I looked around. Not much had changed from when I was four. Everything was still in it's place. Even the couch was still overturned from that day. A fine layer of dust covered every square inch of the place and muffled my cat-like footsteps even further. I made my silent way to the dojo, pausing in the doorway before going in. I walked to the far side of the room, kneeling at the place where I had found Uncle Yoshi's mangled body on that horrible day. I don't know how long I sat there in silence.

I was interrupting in my mourning by a hissing sort of noise. It wasn't anything like my hissing, so I knew that it couldn't be an animal. Which only meant one thing. Spray paint. Instantly, I was furious. No way on earth was I going to let someone dishonor my uncle by vandalizing his home. Whoever the scumbag was, he was gonna pay!

Like a whirlwind, I shot out of the apartment, pausing only long enough to find the troublemakers. Once I had the three of them in my sights I marched toward them, screaming at them stop while I pulled my can of mace out of my pocket. I never did make it to them.

Without warning, something big, green, red, and _familiar _jumped from the rooftop on top of the gangster closest to me. He then proceeded to knock the last two out. I watched, open-mouthed. I recognized that fighting style. Other than being just a little too aggressive, it was dead ringer for Uncle Yoshi's. Why hadn't I noticed it that first night?

He turned to me and I clamped my mouth shut, fighting the urge to call Raphael by his name. That would have been disastrous. Before I could even think what to say, he beat me again. "What the shell were you thinking? They would have killed you!"

I didn't answer. My eyes were riveted behind Raphael, on one of the thugs that I'd thought he'd knocked out. "Red! Look out!"

He started to turn, right sai raised. But it was too late. The gangster brained him with a wrench that had seemingly come from nowhere. Raphael crumpled to the ground.

With a cat-like growl, I launched myself at the smirking thug. I managed to knock him out in two seconds. An all-time high score for me. But keeping track of my records was the furthest thing from my mind. I had to get Raphael out of sight. More gangsters might show up.

Frantically, I looked around me. The only place we could go was Uncle Yoshi's. I went to Raphael and put my arms under his, locking my hands in front of his plastron. Slowly, but surely, I somehow managed to drag him into the safety of the front room, once again locking the door behind me. I leaned against the door, panting. Man, was he heavy.

I sat down by Raphael, settling his head gently in my lap. I was just about to check the bump on his head when I heard a sound like a phone vibrating. It came from the red-masked turtle's belt. Took me a few seconds, but I managed to find the culprit. It was indeed a phone, shaped like a turtle's shell. Ironic.

I looked at the display. Someone named Donnie was calling. Figuring that I had nothing to lose, I flipped the cell phone open. "Hello?"

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><p><em>All constructive criticism and any story ideas are very welcome here! Please R&amp;R.<br>_


	12. Wake Up!

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Thanks to The Silent Hunter for reviewing!_

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><p>"Who is this?" Donnie's voice was full of suspicion. I couldn't blame him. I knew I'd feel the same way if a stranger answered my father's phone, but that's beside the point. The important thing was that his voice sounded a little like Leo's. His accent was about the same, but his voice sounded just a bit different. A little lighter. Had to be another brother. I knew it.<p>

Before I could answer, he moved on to the next question, his voice just a little harder, "And where's Raphael?"

I took a quick second to organize my thoughts. I couldn't act like I know who he's talking about. No doubt that his brothers told him everything they know about me. "You mean the overgrown mutant turtle with the red mask? He's out like a light. He tried to save me, but he got brained by some gangster with a purple dragon tattoo on his face," I blurted out frantically. Okay, so maybe I wasn't as in control as I had thought.

Donnie's tone instantly changed. "Where are you right now? Are there any more gangsters?" he asked me gently. Trying to calm me down, I guess. But it's not the thugs I'm worried about. Raphael's been out a little longer than he should be. _C'mon, c'mon. Please wake up._

"No, I managed to get him away." Definitely not wise to tell him that I took care of that no-good piece of trash by myself. And something tells me that it's not a good idea to act like I knew Yoshi. I don't know why, though. I mean, even if Splinter was still alive, I don't think he'd remember me. That was such a long time ago. But my instincts had never steered me wrong before. "We're at an abandoned apartment a few blocks west of my work." Then, realizing that he had no idea where I worked, I corrected myself, "I mean, from 2nd Time Around. That little antique shop." I hoped he knew what I was talking about.

Apparently, he did. "You're Annaleigh Davies, aren't you?" _Crud._

"How the heck do you know that?" I winced. I'd practically squeaked that question out.

"It's okay, we know the Jones's. April told us about you." Somewhere in the back of my mind, the chorus for 'It's a Small World After All' is playing. _Figures. _I spent all that time worrying about how the guys would respond to me while working for a woman who was practically their best friend! Pathetic.

I'm so astonished at this revelation that it takes me a few minutes to respond. When I do, my voice is surprisingly calm again. And just a little accusing. "So. You're one of Shadow's other babysitters then."

Donnie chuckles, "I'm Donnie." I already knew that by the caller I.D., but I figured it would be kinda redundant to tell him that. "Can you tell me about the apartment?" Oh yeah. I'd totally forgotten. If I wasn't supporting Raphael's head with my left hand, I would have smacked myself with it.

Now's the time to play dumb for real. "Ummm... Well, it's covered with dust. Kinda has an oriental theme to it. And the room right off the front hall looks like some kind of practice room. There's mats on the floor and weapons hanging on the walls. And it looks like there's only one floor."

"I know exactly where you are. Don't move. We'll be there in about five minutes."

I roll my eyes and my tone turns sarcastic, "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Your friend weighs a ton." I heard muffled laughter before the line cut off. Had to have been Mikey.

I put the phone down and worriedly stroked Raphael's forehead with my right hand as I waited for his brother. _Wake up, Raphael. Please._

Raphael moans quietly and his eyelids flutter. "_Wa do_," I sigh. "C'mon, Red. Rise and shine."

His eyes shoot open and amber irises glare up at me. "What the shell happened?" he managed to croak out.

He really likes using that word. Guess it's a turtle thing.

"'Bought time you decided to wake up, Killer." I'd been going for sarcastic, but my voice came out shaky with relief.

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><p><em>'Wa do' is Cherokee for 'thank you.'<em>

_ Please R&R._


	13. Small Talk

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter for reviewing!_

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><p>I glare up at her. "And what the shell is a 'way-dough?'"<p>

She snorts and starts laughing. I don't see anything funny about this. One minute I'm beating the tar out of some no-good thugs, the next thing I know I'm waking up in some girl's lap. This is beyond embarrassing. Hopefully Mikey will never hear of this.

She finally manages to calm herself down enough to talk. "Not 'way-dough.' '_Wa do_.' It's Cherokee for 'thank you.' Her expression turns somber, "I was beginning to think that you'd never wake up."

I shift, a little uncomfortable with how much she's concerned about me. I try to sit up, but her hands move to my shoulders, pushing me down firmly, keeping my head in her lap. "Easy _di hi_. You took quite a hit to the noggin."

My eyes narrow. "What did you call me?"

She rolls her eyes. "'_Di hi_' means 'killer.' Sorry. I'll try to keep the Cherokee at a minimum, Red."

"Raphael, my name's Raphael." Oh, is my head killing me.

She must have seen me wince, 'cause when she answers, her voice is much quieter. "I'm Annaleigh. Your friend April's my boss."

"How the shell did you know that?"

"Your friend Donnie called while you were in la-la land. He recognized my name immediately. Gave me the heebie-jeebies." She shuddered, "Anywho, he's on his way. Should be here in a few minutes."

"Is he alone?"

"Don't think so. I heard someone laughing on the other end before he hung up."

I groaned. Mikey's coming with Don. _Wonderful._

Annaleigh's expression instantly becomes concerned again and she puts her right hand gently on my forehead. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." As soon as I say that, I can't help but notice how her eyes are exactly the same color as Leopard's. Her hair's the same color, too. But there's no way Annaleigh could be Leopard. Casey told me that she's a big-time klutz. And Leopard was far from clumsy.

I kind of like the feel of her hand on my head, but no way am I staying down like this if Don's bringing the chucklehead. "Could you please let me up?"

Annaleigh hesitates for a second, "Okay. But you have to take it easy. Capeche?"

I start to nod before I remember the pounding in my head. "Fine."

She helps me sit up and I can't help but marvel at how strong she is for being so tiny.

Once she's made sure I won't topple over, she gives me my space. Thankfully. And I finally remember why I'd been so mad with her to begin with. "What the shell were you thinking out there?"

She nervously twists a strand of pale auburn hair. "Well... Before daddy and I moved up here, our house was vandalized. I remembered how long it took us to clean it up. Made me mad when I realized those gangsters were doing the same thing."

"Seems to me that what they were doing is no different from breaking and entering."

A blush covers her heart-shaped face. "I wasn't breaking in. The door was unlocked. And there's a for-sale sign out front."

Something about her answer doesn't feel right. She's hiding something. But, since she probably saved my life, I'll let it slide. "Okay, next question. How come that PD didn't kill us both?"

Annaleigh's nose scrunched up. It was kinda cute. _Whoa there, Raph._

"PD? What's a PD?"

"Purple Dragons. It's a gang. You're really not from around here, are you?"

She shook her head, "We did live here, once. But that was when I was too little to know what a PD is. I've lived in Miami most of my life. And about that PD... Let's just say he won't ever be having kids and leave it at that, shall we?"

I look at her in disbelief, "But, how..."

_Open mouth, insert foot._ By the look on Annaleigh's face, it's clear that I've really offended her. She glares at me.

"Just because I'm a tiny klutz, doesn't mean that I don't know how to hit a guy where it hurts, Raphael."

_Shell._ This girl's got spunk.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R<em>


	14. Nuthouse

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. I'm not quite sure how well this chapter turned out. I kind of drift toward the loopy stuff later at night. Thank you to The Silent Hunter for reviewing!  
><em>

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><p>What has come over me? I only act this way around Daddy and no one else. Especially not another mutant.<p>

But, even though he's a hothead, something about Raphael calms me. And irritates the fire out of me too. I cannot believe I just threatened him like that! I really need to keep a check on my runaway mouth. At the rate I'm going, I'm definitely going to slip. And that'll be the end of Leopard.

I can tell by the way Raphael's eying me that I've made him suspicious. No. That's not suspicion on his face. I'm familiar enough with that particular expression to know that's not it.

His expression is respectful. _Respectful? Of me?_

But before I can comment, there's several soft knocks on the door. I stiffen, but Raphael stays relaxed. "It's Don."

I meet his gaze uncertainly. "How can you be sure?"

The knocks sound again. Raphael smiles reassuringly at me, "Somehow I don't think the PDs would bother with knocking." He tries to get up, but freezes, wincing.

I lay my hand firmly on his bicep. "Stay put _di hi. _ I'll get it."

I stand up and walk cautiously to the door, "Who's there?" I call warily, ignoring the snort from Raphael.

"Annaleigh? It's Donnie. I brought one of my brothers with me. Mind letting us in?"

"Okay." I unlock the door and move out of the way. Just in time too. The door slams open and something green and orange flies through and tackles Raphael.

"Raphie! You're okay!"

Said turtle then loses it completely. "Mikey, GET OFF!"

I see a dark green fist swing and I hear Mikey yell, "Ow! Ow ow ow ow!"

"Serves you right," Raphael grumbles and winces. His head has definitely got to be killing him now.

I decide to intervene. "Mikey, leave Raphael alone. Can't you see he's hurt?"

Mikey looks at me open-mouthed. I just shake my head and turn to the olive green turtle with a purple mask and a bo staff strapped to his back. "You must be Donnie. Is he always like this?" I gesture to Mikey.

Donnie's expression is just as surprised as Mikey's. Minus the open mouth, of course. "Uh, pretty much." He shifts a little, looking between me and Raphael. He's clearly about to ask the obvious question, 'Why am I not freaking out?' But Mikey gets there first.

"Um. Dudette?" I turn my head toward him, my eyebrows raised in question. "Why aren't you scared of us?"

"Simple," I respond, kneeling next to Raphael and checking the bump on his head. I'm a little surprised that he's even letting me. "Raphael just risked his life to save mine. I figure that someone like that can't be bad, no matter what they look like. That, and my Dad is a mythologist. I've heard of crazier things than overgrown turtles."

"Oh, you mean your Dad studies stuff like the Greek gods?"

I'm busy unwinding the bandage roll that I'd just swiped from Donnie's bag, but I don't miss the astonished looks on the purple and red masked turtles' faces. Clearly, they weren't expecting Mikey to put two and two together. That, or they hadn't been expecting me to tend to Raphael's head wound myself.

"Shut up, Mikey," Raphael murmurs, wincing again. When I'd first met them, I hadn't realized how loud Mikey was. Even my ears are starting to hurt.

Donnie moves to start to inspecting my work, but Raphael slowly pulls away from him, "Can't we just go, Genius?"

The purple masked turtle turns to me, "Raph's right, Annaleigh. We've been in one place too long. The thug you talked about wasn't there when Mikey and I pulled up. We need to go before he shows up with some of his friends."

I raise my eyebrows for the second time that night. "We?"

He stutters a bit. Must be a little shy, "Y-yeah. I was thinking we could give you a ride home, if you'd like." He looks at me uncertainly.

My eyes turn to meet Raphael's, then I glance back up at Donnie and smile gently. "If you don't mind, Donnie, I'd like to stay with you guys, wherever you're headed. It's my fault your brother got hurt. And I'd like to make sure he's okay before I go home."

Mikey wolf whistles, then starts singing. "Raphie and Annaleigh, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-"

"Shut up, Mikey!" Raphael and I chorus. Mikey literally shoots outside to safety.

By the look in Raphael's amber eyes, I can tell he's wishing that his hit had been hard enough to knock Mikey out. Funny, I'd kind of been hoping the same thing. But I guess it wouldn't do if Donnie and I had to help one turtle and carry another.

While I'm thinking this over, I can't help but notice the amused look in Donnie's now relaxed features. At least he's okay with me.

I stand as Donnie helps Raphael up, draping his brother's right arm over his shoulders. Donnie then puts his left arm around Raphael's waist, supporting him. And I keep close enough to help, just in case.

Donnie's face is apologetic as he looks over at me. "Sorry about Mikey. He's kind of a handful."

Raphael snorts, "Kind of? Handful? Genius, Mikey _belongs _in a nuthouse."

I can't help it. I crack up, again. Score one - zero, Raphael.

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><p><em>Let me know what you think.<em>

_Okay, so Mikey didn't recognize her either. Hmmm... Maybe Leo will?_

_Please R&R._


	15. Thoughts

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter for the review and ideas. Your input really helped._

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><p>I can tell by Annaleigh's expression that she's impressed. I remember feeling the same way the first time Don showed us the Battle Shell.<p>

"This your guys' ride?"

"Yeah. It used to be just an ordinary armored truck before Donny got a hold of it."

She looks at Donnie, her eyes wide in awe. "You did all of this? This is pretty cool."

Donnie blushes as he helps me get in the front seat, "Thanks. But I just handled the mechanics. Most of it was Mikey's idea."

She smiles at our hyper brother, who beams back at her from his seat next to her in the back, "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

As Don starts up the Battle Shell, and before Mikey can start talking her ears off about all of his big, shell-brained ideas, her phone rings.

"It's Daddy. You guys don't mind if I take this, do you?"

Don's expression is resigned, "As long as you don't tell him about us. Sensei's already not going to be happy that you've seen us."

Mikey chirps in, "And, no offense, Dudette, but we don't know how your dad will react."

"I understand. Scout's honor." She starts to flip her phone open. "Uh, is it okay if I talk with him in Cherokee? Kind of a daddy-daughter thing."

Don's expression goes suspicious, but I nod. "I don't see why not," I shoot Don a 'take-it-easy' glance. "As long as you don't mind us speaking in Japanese occasionally."

Annaleigh smiles at me, then opens her phone, _"O si yo, e do da."_ She waits for a second, then goes into rapid-fire Cherokee.

That gives me room to ask about something that's been bothering me, "How come it's just you two? Where's Fearless?"

"Meditating with Sensei. You really upset Leo, you know that? He's just trying to to protect us."

I roll my eyes, "Yeah, I know, Donnie. But he doesn't have be so bossy about it. That's what pissed me off." I wince at the brightness of another car's headlights. "Fearless must really be upset with me if he didn't want to come."

"Well, he kinda doesn't know. Donnie and I were taking the Battle Shell out for a test drive when we decided to check up on you. Guess we didn't need to. Your girlfriend saved the day," Mikey chuckles.

If he doesn't shut up, I'm so going to kill him once my head stops hurting. "Wait, test drive?"

Donnie nods, "I was updating some of the systems. And you know how Mikey can't resist putting her through her paces."

"I take it you're talking about the Battle Shell?" Annaleigh chirps up. I nod and twist in my seat so that I can see her better.

"Sorry, about that. _E do da_ was checking up on me."

The look on Mikey's face is priceless, "What does 'ee-doo-day' mean?"

Annaleigh snorts. "_'E do da.'_ Papa."

Don's voice carries just a hint of suspicion, "What did you tell him?"

She rolls her eyes, "Easy Purple. I just told him that I'm hanging out with some _di gi ne li_. Friends. And that I'll be late tonight. All I told him about you guys was that you were trustworthy." She looks pointedly into Donnie's eyes, via the rear-view mirror. "I promised I wouldn't say anything about your looks, remember? You sure you didn't hit _your _head, Donnie?"

Mikey laughs and I add my two cents, "She's right Don. You're starting to sound like Leo. Loosen up."

Mikey stops laughing, "Hey Annaleigh?"

She gives him her full attention. "How come you speak Cherokee when you're not even an Indian?"

She chuckles and I find myself waiting impatiently for her answer. I've been wondering that too. And by Don's raised brows, he's clearly been thinking the same thing.

"Daddy adopted me when I was just three. He taught me everything he knows about his heritage."

Before any of us can say anything, her phone goes off again. But Annaleigh just hits the 'ignore' button. And I find myself hoping that it wasn't an ex-boyfriend calling her. _What the shell am I thinking?_

"Anywho. Mikey. Weren't you about to tell me your new ideas for the truck?"

Annaleigh's so engrossed in listening to Mikey's ideas for the Battle Shell, even helping him refine some of them, that I doubt she even notices my turmoil. She probably doesn't care how I feel anyway. But then, why would she even bother making sure I was okay if she doesn't care?

I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I don't even realize that Donnie's picked up on my mood.

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><p><em>'O si yo, e do da' is Cherokee for 'Hello, papa.' And 'di gi ne li' means 'friends.'<em>

_Quick question. Should I start telling the story from Mikey and Don's views too?_


	16. Shock

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and Trunksymia for reviewing!  
><em>

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><p>When my phone rings a second time, I almost sigh in frustration. I know it can't be Daddy. He never calls me back like this.<p>

My eyes roll in exasperation as I see the caller ID. My nosy neighbor from upstairs. What the heck is she calling about? Probably to gossip. And I don't want to hear any of it. I hit the 'ignore' button, then turn the volume off on my phone. She usually calls me about ten times if I don't answer. And I really don't want to deal with her right now. I've got more important things to focus on.

As I'm talking with Mikey, who thankfully has quieted down some, I can't help but notice the sour look on Raphael's face. His look is not even remotely related to a wince, so I know it has nothing to do with his head. _What's got his shell in a knot?_

I'm about to ask him what's wrong, when Donnie speaks up. "We're here."

I look out the window. So they live in an abandoned warehouse. Doesn't surprise me one bit. I've seen mutants living in worse places. But I fake surprise anyway, just to keep up appearances.

"This is where you guys live?"

Mikey laughs for what seems the hundredth time tonight. It doesn't take much to tickle this turtle's funny bone.

Raph rolls his eyes at me, "What were you expecting, Annaleigh? A million-dollar mansion?"

I scowl at him, "That's not what I meant."

Donnie intervenes. Apparently, he's the peacekeeper of the group. "Actually, this is just our garage. Our Lair is under it. In the sewers." He smiles apologetically at me through the rear view window.

_Sewers. Figures._

Their garage door opens and Donnie maneuvers the Battle Shell in. As soon as we stop, I'm up out of my seat and at Raphael's door, ready to help him out. His amber eyes widen and he looks back at Donnie, whose face is just as surprised as his. Mikey, on the other hand, just starts singing the same song he'd tried to sing earlier.

I shoot him my best glare. "Mikey, do us all a favor and _shut up._"

Mikey starts laughing again. "She's definitely your type, Raphie."

This time, the red masked turtle is the one to shoot him a glare. "You are _so_ lucky my head is killing me right now, Nitwit," he practically growls. Which only makes the orange masked turtle laugh even harder.

Donnie rolls his eyes and sighs. "Would you two _please _knock it off? We've got something more important to deal with."

"What you talking about, Genius?" Raphael asks as I slip his arm over my shoulders.

"Have you even thought about how we're going to explain this to Leo and Master Splinter?"

_Splinter. That explains the scent._ I almost stiffen at the sound of a name that I haven't heard in sixteen, almost seventeen, years. But I manage to stop myself. When I speak up, I somehow manage to keep the shock out of my voice. "Who're Leo and Master Splinter? Are they turtles like you?" I already know the answer about Leo. But about this Master Splinter... _Please say yes. First the FOH, now this. I can't deal with any more ghosts from my past._

Raphael shifts uncomfortably. "Leo is. But Master Splinter's not. He's... well, he's a mutant rat."

I nearly choke. _Splinter's alive? And how on earth is he a mutant?_ Thankfully, they mistake my shock for fear.

"It's okay, Dudette," Mikey says as he walks to a weird looking door and pushes a couple of buttons on the keypad next to it.

Donnie follows him, but looks back over at me. "You're handling this really well, Annaleigh. All things considered. When April first met us, she actually fainted a few times."

That's what I feel like doing, but not for the reason they're thinking of. Instead, I just wrap my arm around Raphael's waist and help him follow his brothers into what looks like some kind of weird alien elevator. I'm focusing on this task so much, to keep myself from hyperventilating, that I don't even see the blush that creeps across the red masked turtle's face at my touch.

* * *

><p><em>How will Leo and Splinter react? How will Annie? Please R&amp;R.<em>


	17. Bad News

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter for reviewing. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far.  
><em>

* * *

><p>I feel my face heat up when Annaleigh wraps her arm around my waist. I can only hope that Mikey is staying true to form and isn't paying attention.<p>

Annaleigh's grip becomes a little tighter and I get the feeling that she's holding onto me for dear life. She must really be afraid of rats. But if she freaks out this easily, then why isn't she scared of mutant turtles? And why is she so attached to me? Don't get me wrong, I kind of like it. But it just doesn't make sense to me.

The elevator door opens and we step into the Lair. At least, Mikey and Don do. I'm kind of stuck, 'cause for some reason Annaleigh's frozen. I wasn't expecting the look of fear on her face. And I certainly wasn't expecting her to plaster herself even closer to my side. She's actually _trembling_.

"Hey, Annaleigh," I whisper, trying to reassure her. "It's okay. Sensei's not going to hurt you."

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, the tip of one of Leo's katana appears at her throat. "Let go of him, Leopard," Leo commands her, using his 'warning' voice.

I was about to ask Fearless what the shell he was thinking, when a low growl comes from the petite girl at my side.

"Get the knife away from my throat now, Blue. I haven't done anything." Her voice is just as cold as Leo's. Her expression only betraying the smallest hint of fear.

Mikey and Don have both pulled their weapons out, waiting for Leo's cue to move. And I pull away from Annaleigh, leaning against the wall for support. She was just playing with me. I cannot believe I actually liked her!

Annaleigh, if that's her real name, actually looks more scared now that I'm not next to her. Probably just part of her little game. Her eyes meet mine, and I get the feeling that she's begging for me to at least try to understand. Well, she's not getting any help from me. She should have thought about that before she started working for Hun. Or whoever's paying her.

I glare at her and she reacts like I'd slapped her. I have to admit, she's a great little actress.

When she realizes that she's not getting any help from me, she finally pays closer attention to Leo's katana, sheer terror on her face. "What did I do?" she whispers, her voice breaking. Which causes me to fight a knee-jerk instinct to protect her. _What the shell?_

"Umm, let's see," Don answers, twirling his bo in front of him with both hands. "You lied to us. You're probably working for our enemies."

"And you're impersonating a dead girl, Dudette," Mikey finishes, nunchuks whirling.

She starts to answer, "But I haven't-"

She's cut off by Splinter, who has just stepped out of his room. "Boys! What is the meaning of this?"

I turn to answer my Sensei, but I'm cut off by Annaleigh, _"U na li i?"_

Shock crosses our father's features, "Sora?"

_Who the shell is Sora?_

* * *

><p>As soon as I realize that Raphael is now against me, I start to panic. I'm not afraid for my life like they seem to think. I'm not even afraid. Memories from all the times I was attacked by other mutants are flooding to the front of my mind. I know the guys won't attack me unless I provoke them, but my instincts are telling me to flee. To get the heck out of there as fast as I can. It's taking all of my willpower just to stay put.<p>

And then, Splinter appears. Even though it's been years, and he's obviously changed a lot, I know it's him. Before I even realize it, I'm calling him the nickname I gave him when I was four. The Cherokee word for 'friend.' And he recognizes me. Calling me by the name Uncle Yoshi called me when he rescued me off the streets. 'Sora.'

"My sons," he adresses the turtles. _Sons? _"Stand down. Annie is not a threat."

Leo pulls his sword out of my face and holsters it. Mikey and Don put their respective weapons away. But Raphael is still glaring daggers at me. It kills me to see that look on his face. I had thought that I had earned his trust. I had thought we were friends.

His eyes never leave my face, even when Mikey speaks up, "But Sensei. I thought she was supposed to be dead."

Leo turns to my oldest friend. "You said so yourself, Master Splinter. Are you sure it's her?"

I turn back to Yoshi's beloved rat, still aware of Raphael's angry stare. Splinter's dark eyes meet mine. I can tell that he has many questions for me. "It appears I was wrong about her death, my sons."

But, before he can say anything else, my attention is drawn the stacked televisions that I haven't noticed until now. The 10 o'clock news is on and I swear that I had just heard my father's name. Then, Daddy's picture shows up on the screen and the announcer continues.

"...the sixty-eight year old author of best-selling _Cherokee Culture and It's Influence on America _was found dead in his apartment.."

I freeze completely. _This can't be real. It can't be._

But the announcer keeps going mercilessly. "Cecilia Lewis found Mr. Jedidiah Davies's body just fifteen minutes ago after hearing, what she reports, unusual noises coming from Mr. Davies's apartment which is just one floor below hers. Authorities are not commenting on whether or not foul play was involved. But, the officer in charge of the investigation did say that they were doing everything they could to locate Mr. Davies's twenty-year-old daughter, Annaleigh Davies, whom he believes has been kidnapped. So far, all efforts to find her have failed. If you believe that you might have any information on Miss Davies's whereabouts, you are urged to call the authorities."

"Daddy," I whisper. _So that's why Mrs. Lewis was calling. _Somehow, I manage to make it to the couch before my legs give out on me and my world falls apart.

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><p><em>Bet you weren't expecting that... Please R&amp;R.<em>

_'U na li i' is Cherokee for friend. 'Sora' is the Japanese word for 'sky.'_


	18. Hurt

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter for reviewing!_

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><p>Before any of us can say a thing, Leopard whips around so fast that my right hand instinctively reaches for my katana again. But she's not even looking at me. Her eyes are glued to the T.V.s and she's completely frozen. I turn my attention to the screens. The announcer's talking about another murder. And apparently, it's a man she knows.<p>

Then, the picture of a girl identical to Leopard shows up on the screen. The announcer goes on about the man's daughter, who's missing. Immediately, I feel for Annaleigh. I can't imagine what it would feel like to lose Master Splinter.

Annaleigh shakily walks to the couch before sinking into it. Sensei follows her, stopping in front of her and putting both of his hands on her shaking shoulders. He then starts to comfort her in Japanese. She responds, so quietly that I almost can't hear her. _She speaks Japanese too?_

My brothers and I are so focused on the scene playing out before us that all four of us jump when my shell-cell goes off. As I pluck it off my belt, I notice Raph wincing out of the corner of my eye. _He must have really hurt his head._

I look at the caller ID, then answer. "Hey, April," I say softly. "What's up?"

From her voice, I can tell that she's panicking. _"Leo did you see the news just now? Annaleigh's father's dead and she's missing!"_

"Calm down, April," I say reassuringly. "She's not missing. She's right here. Don, Raph, and Mikey brought her to the Lair before the news came on."

_"What? Is she okay? Can I speak to her?"_

I turn my attention back to the girl on our couch. "Not right now. Master Splinter's talking with her. Do you want me to have her call you?"

_"No, that's fine. I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm coming down. I'll be there as soon as I call the police station and let them know that she's alright."_

"Okay April," I say, but she's already hung up.

"Is April coming?" Donnie asks from right beside me. _Shell! Why does he have to do that?_

"Yeah Don," I sigh. That's when I notice that Mikey's over by Annaleigh, too. He sits beside her and puts his arm around her shoulders, but she just shrugs him off. "And it's probably for the best."

I turn back to my red-masked brother, who looks like he's about to lose his balance. I help steady him, "What happened out there, Raph?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Leo," he practically glares at me. _What's up with him?_

Before I can question him further, April walks in, "That was fast."

She smiles sadly, "Well, I was already on my way here when I called."

Raph speaks up, "Where are Casey and Shadow?"

She turns to him, "At Casey's mother's. They'll be there for the rest of the week." Then she notices the bandage on his head, "Raph! What happened?"

Raph rolls his eyes, "I got brained. Wasn't paying attention." His amber eyes meet my brown ones reproachfully. "Now are ya happy, Fearless? Gonna lecture me?"

April intervenes, putting a hand on both of our chests. "That's enough, guys," she says sharply. "Seeing you two fight is the last thing Annaleigh needs."

As soon as she says that, I feel guilty. April's friend had just lost her father, and here I am, bickering with my brother about something stupid. "Sorry, April."

Raph grumbles something under his breath. But April's already half-way to Annaleigh, Splinter, and Mikey, and doesn't hear. Don's already back in the area we set aside for his lab. Probably just trying to make sense of what's going on while he tinkers. I decide to leave Raph to stew and make my way over to my genius brother.

* * *

><p>As soon as I sink into the couch, I feel Splinter's paws on my shoulders. We talk for a little. That is, until Mikey tries to comfort me and I flinch away from him. I hadn't meant to. My instincts were still screaming at me to get away from the turtles. For the hundredth time, I tell myself that they're not going to hurt me. But the images from just a few minutes earlier, when Leo had his sword at my throat, keep coming back. That, and I'm too distraught to even think in a straight line right now. I don't even notice when April wraps her arms around me.<p>

* * *

><p>Why did I have to snap at Leo? April's right. We shouldn't be fighting right now. But part of me doesn't care. Annaleigh lied to us. To me. Why should I care about what she's going through?<p>

I'm broken out of my thoughts by Master Splinter's voice. "Donatello, Michelangelo. Help your brother to the couch. Keep on eye on him while we are gone." He turns to Leo. "Leonardo. You and I will follow Mrs. Jones and Annie to the police station. It is possible that whoever did this to her father is still out there, looking for her."

My brothers nod in understanding and April walks back to elevator, keys in her hand. Annaleigh doesn't move. But as soon as I'm sitting (right next to her, unfortunately), she puts her hand on my arm. "I'm very sorry _di hi. _I didn't mean for you to get hurt," she whispers.

I glare at her, and she jerks back like I'd hit her. "Don't call me that," I practically snarl.

She looks like she's about to start crying. _Oh shell._

Thankfully, she doesn't. "I'm really sorry, Raphael." She gets up and follows April. And I get the feeling that she's running from me. Which, somehow, makes me feel even worse.

Not long after they leave, I somehow manage to make to my room on my own. I fall asleep easily, only to wake up again in the middle of the night. _Why did I have to snap at her like that? What did she mean that she was sorry I got hurt? Was she talking about my head or..._

I shake my head, realizing that the throbbing's gone. Thank goodness. But now I can't get back to sleep. I'm still agonizing over the hurt look I last saw on Annaleigh's face.

Giving up on sleep, I head out to the living room. I'm not expecting to see Annaleigh sitting alone on the couch, watching _I Love Lucy _re-runs. I had thought that she was gonna go home with April.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	19. Comfort

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big Thanks to The Silent Hunter for reviewing. Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up._

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><p>April had asked me to come home with her. But I needed to come back to the Lair. I wanted to stay close to Splinter. I needed to fix things with the guys. With Raphael. Even though we'd only been friends for fifteen minutes, I missed him. I'd never had a real friend before. Besides Mikey's cat. As soon as we got back from the station, Klunk had planted himself in my lap and refused to move.<p>

And it seems like someone else doesn't want me to be alone either.

"What are you doing back here?" Raphael asks drowsily.

Still watching Lucy and Ethel stuff chocolate into their mouths and clothes, I put my finger to my lips and then point to the floor, where April is curled up in a sleeping bag.

When Raphael speaks again, his voice is much quieter, "And what the shell is April doing on the floor?"

I still refuse to look at him, even though he's somehow managed to calm down from earlier. It takes me a few minutes to answer and I feel the couch shift when Raphael sits on the other end.

"I didn't want her to leave me," I whisper shakily.

"Then why'd you come back here?" That catches me off-guard. I hadn't been expecting his voice to turn gentle. I turn my head to look at him, to make sure that it's him and not Mikey I'm talking to. Amber eyes meet mine. Definitely Raphael.

"With Daddy..." my voice breaks and I pause, trying to catch my breath. "Splinter's the only family I have left." I look back to the screen, this time to watch Ricky and Fred try and fail to cook dinner, exploding rice all over Ricky's kitchen in the process. _Please just go, Raphael. I'm not ready to talk to you._

"What do you mean by that?"

I don't turn back to Raphael, but a few tears escape my control. "Splinter was my best friend and my only playmate when I was little. Up until Uncle Yoshi..." I sniff, not trusting myself to say anymore.

His voice is surprised, "Master Yoshi was your Uncle?" And just a little too loud. April shifts in her spot, but thankfully doesn't wake.

That interruption gives me just the right amount of time to gain control of myself, "He found me on the streets when I was three. If it hadn't been for him... Well, let's just say that I wouldn't be alive today and leave it at that." I turned to look back at Raphael, who is really still all of a sudden.

And even though I'm wallowing in grief right now, I can't help but chuckle. Even if it's a little watery. "Breathe, Raphael."

He does. But he blushes too. _What on earth?_

And he surprises me again. "Annaleigh, why do you call my brothers by their nicknames, but not me?" I wasn't expecting that question.

"I thought you didn't like it. You practically snarled at me when Mikey suggested that I call you 'Raphie.'

"Then, why didn't you flinch then? Like you did when I glared at you earlier." He looks ashamed of himself. For some odd reason, I get the feeling that very few people have seen this side of Raphael. When he speaks, I almost don't hear him.

"I'm really sorry about that," he apologizes, looking down at the floor. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. You didn't deserve that. Not after all that's happened to you."

I swallow back a few sobs at the indirect mention of Daddy. "You don't need to apologize _di hi_. You guys were right, in a way. No, I didn't lie to you. But I didn't tell you the truth either." I scoot closer to him and lay my head on his arm, fully expecting him to push me away. But he doesn't. "Like I said. I'm really sorry that I hurt you." Klunk jumps off my lap and disappears in the direction of Mikey's room.

"You weren't just talking about my head, then."

I look up at him and meet his eyes. "Raphael. You're my friend. And trust is very important to me. When I thought that I'd lost your trust..." I swallow and look down at my hands. "I'm sorry, I can't think straight right now. I still can't believe that my Daddy's gone." My voice breaks and I almost start crying.

Raphael stiffens, then wraps an arm around my shoulders. What really surprises me is that I don't flinch. My instincts are mercifully quiet.

Then I do something that shocks us both. I turn to Raphael ,wrap my arms around his waist, and start crying into his shoulder. He's completely frozen for a few seconds. Then his arms wrap around me and I cry harder.

* * *

><p>When Annaleigh told me that she hadn't wanted April to leave her and when I saw the look on her face... I just couldn't stay mad. Then when she laid her head on my arm and told me that my trust was important to her... I felt beyond guilty for glaring and snapping at her. I wish I could take it back.<p>

She completely catches me off guard when she clings to me and starts crying into my neck. _Oh, what the shell. _She stiffens when I wrap my arms around her, then cries harder. I just want her stop. I hate seeing her like this.

Thankfully, she only cries for a few more minutes. I don't know what the shell I'm going to say, but I guess she doesn't know either. So, we just watch _I Love Lucy _together, Annaleigh still wrapped firmly in my arms.

I'm awakened by a loud laugh. I hadn't realized that we'd fallen asleep.

"Awwww, isn't this cute?"

Mikey.

Before I can say anything, Annaleigh shifts in my arms. "Shut up Mikey. It isn't what you think," she says groggily. I let go of her very fast.

Which only makes Mikey laugh harder.

I shoot off the couch and launch myself at him. Almost tripping when Annaleigh cheers me on. "Get him _di hi_!"

A few more laughs sound at her outburst and that's when I realise that Mikey wasn't the only one who saw. _Aw, shell!_

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	20. Song

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Thanks to The Silent Hunter!_

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><p>"Whose side are you on?" Mikey yells hysterically and I can't help laughing so hard that I end up clutching at my sides. Just before Raphael can catch his brother, Master Splinter walks out.<p>

My keen, cat-like hearing picks up what he murmurs to himself. "I do not even want to know."

I beam at him and he smiles gently back. I'm about to get up and join him when Donnie sits next to me on the couch. "Good morning, Annaleigh. I take it you slept well?"

There's just a hint of amusement in his gentle face. I scowl at him. "Your brother was just making sure I was okay. Nothing happened, alright?"

He puts his hands up in the same gesture of peace that I had given Leo the first time I had met him. "Okay." He pauses, and I can see the uncertainty in his face.

"Umm... April and Mikey made breakfast. If you're hungry, that is."

I smile at him, to let him know that he hasn't offended me. "Sure." Now it's my turn to look uncertain. "Uh, where's the kitchen?"

He starts chuckling. "Right behind you."

I turn in the direction he indicated and feel my face flush. Smacking my forehead with my palm, I start muttering to myself as I get up and walk to the kitchen. Being extra careful not to get run over by a still fleeing Michelangelo. I can feel Donatello following behind me, still laughing quietly.

I'm about to sit down at the table when a girly scream sounds through the place. I whip around and crouch, ready to defend myself, but I straighten when I see the source of the noise. Raphael just caught Mikey, who's screaming for mercy.

That's when I notice Leo. He's near the middle of the giant room, in the area that is the obviously their dojo. And, he's in the middle of his katas. I turn to look back at Donnie, who's just pulled out a chair for me.

"How can he focus like that?"

Donnie looks over at Leo, who's being joined by Splinter. "Leo's very dedicated to his training. I guess it has to do with the fact that Sensei made him the leader. He tries to learn all he can about ninjitsu so that he can keep an eye on us." Mikey screams again, and Donnie smiles apologetically. "No matter how hard we make it for him."

I look concernedly at the two wrestling turtles. "Isn't someone going to help Mikey?"

April laughs as she puts two plates of blueberry pancakes in front of me and the purple-masked turtle. "He'll be fine. Mikey can handle himself."

I raise my eyebrows at her in disbelief, "If you say so." I turn my attention to my food. Even though pancakes are one of my favorites, I suddenly find that I can't eat. I miss Daddy.

When April turns to the counter to prepare more plates, I can feel Donnie's eyes on me. I look up to see that he's watching me stab my food aimlessly with my fork. "Annaleigh, are you okay?"

I shake my head, unable to speak. I push my plate away from me and over to Mikey, who's somehow managed to escape the wrath of Raphael. "Here Mikey," I whisper. "I'm not hungry."

When I leave the table, I almost walk right into Raphael. His amber eyes are concerned. I shake my head at him, indicating that I want to be left alone. That's when I spot the punching bag on one side of the dojo. I make my way over to it and just start punching, using the stance that Uncle Yoshi showed me and Daddy helped me to perfect. There's something freeing about just mindlessly hitting something that can't hit back.

So lost am I in the excercise, that I nearly jump when I realize that Raphael's holding the bag still for me. He doesn't say anything. And for that, I'm grateful. I turn my focus back to beating the heck out of the already much abused punching bag. The rhythm of my punches reminds me of a song. Very softly, I start singing a Cherokee chant that Daddy and I used to sing together. What I don't realize, is that Raphael is listening very intently.

* * *

><p><em>Shell. <em>I didn't know that Annaleigh could punch as hard as Leo. And I certainly didn't know that she could sing like that. Even though I don't understand a single thing she's saying, I find myself hanging onto every word. It takes a few minutes for me to realize that her knuckles are starting to bleed.

But, before I can say anything, Splinter calls her by her Japanese nickname. At least, that's what I think 'Sora' is.

At first, Annaleigh keeps on going on relentlessly, still singing to herself like she's in her own little world. Then she just snaps out of it, looking at Sensei, then at me, then at her now raw hands.

Master Splinter has Donnie bandage her hands, and l leave for the garage. I haven't tinkered with my bike in a while. Not since the last time Casey and I had hung out. Which was right before April had Shadow.

I don't even notice April and Annaleigh when they come out of the elevator. Which means that I jump when the smaller of the two women puts her hand on my shoulder. I turn and find myself looking right into Annaleigh's stormy blue eyes. "What?" _Of all the things I could say, and I say that?"_

She smiles sadly, "April's taking me to the funeral home and then the mall to get me some extra clothes. And I gotta pick up Zeb. We should be back before dinner. I just wanted to let you know."

"Okay," is the only thing I can think of saying while her hand is on my shoulder. I'm _very_ aware that her face is just inches from mine. She chuckles at me. _I must look really stupid._

"Thank you, _di hi_," she whispers, and I know that she's talking about last night. Then she kisses my cheek before following April, who's already started her van.

_What the shell? _I'm _really _glad that no one saw that. _Especially_ Mikey.

Wait a sec. _Who's Zeb?_

* * *

><p><em>Hmmm... Who do you think 'Zeb' is? Please R&amp;R.<em>

_'Di hi' is Cherokee for 'killer,' which is Annie's nickname for Raph.  
><em>


	21. Like

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter!  
><em>

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><p>"How can anyone hate dogs?" I ask April. I'm trying to distract myself, to keep myself from thinking of the funeral that's in just two days.<p>

April keeps her eyes on the road as she answers, "Well, the guys have never met a pet dog before. The only dogs they've come across are either strays or-"

"Guard dogs," I finish. I make a face. "Yeesh. I almost forgot about that. Those're the worst. Especially when they mistake you for a kitty."

April busts up laughing and I manage a chuckle too. A little whine sounds from the back and I reach behind me to scratch my beautiful, gray and white Australian Shepherd behind his ear. Zeb's short little tail thumps contentedly. He's definitely feeling better after that rat poison incident. Why anyone would leave a bag of that stuff in the park and out in the open is beyond me.

Shortly after Raphael had disappeared, I'd asked Splinter if I could bring Zeb back to the Lair. I remember the apprehension on his face. Apparently, his experiences with dogs were just as bad as his sons'. If not worse. But he'd agreed when I'd assured him that Zeb was well-trained and well-behaved. And that I could control him.

Mikey's worries had been different. It had taken me nearly half an hour before I was able to convince him that not all dogs like to chase cats. Once he knew Klunk was safe, I had Michelangelo's approval.

Don and Leo had agreed too. Albeit reluctantly.

And Raphael. Well, he's put up with me so far. He can put up with Zeb too.

Even though April had offered to let him stay at her place, I wanted to keep Zeb with me. Like I had told Raphael. I wasn't letting any member of my family out of my sight for a long time.

And Zeb's such a sweetheart. Who couldn't help but fall in love with him?

* * *

><p>As soon as the girls left, I turned to my father, "Sensei, are you sure? April did say the dog could say at her place."<p>

Before Master Splinter could answer, Raph makes his way over to us. I hadn't realized that he was back in. "Did someone say 'dog?' Please tell me that Annaleigh's not bringing back a dog. That's the last thing we need, Fearless, and you know it."

I scowl at him. I was gonna tell him that she asked Splinter's permission, not mine. But then, I realized something. "Didn't Annie tell you about her pet?"

"No. She just said that she was picking up someone, or some_thing_, named Zeb." Then he glares at me. "And since when did you start calling her 'Annie.'"

I roll my eyes. I really don't want to deal with his attitude. I've about reached my limit. "She told me to call her that the first time I met her. I told you about that, remember?"

If Sensei hadn't been standing there, I was sure that my red-masked brother would have attacked me. What has come over him lately? I had thought that he was getting his temper under control. But ever since he and Mikey ran into Leopard that first time... Then, it clicked. "You like her."

Shock, and then rage flew over my brother's face. "I do not. And if you don't shut up about it, I'll give you worse than I gave Mikey." His amber eyes bore into my brown ones. He's completely forgotten that Sensei's standing right next to me

"Raphael!" Master Splinter's eyes flash, and Raph jumps guiltily, as if he didn't know that our father was standing there.

It's completely quiet in our Lair and I realize that Mikey and Don are watching us intently from their respective places on the couch and in the Lab. Raph mutters angry an apology and stomps furiously towards his room. As soon as his back is turned, Mikey mouths, _He likes her. _And Don nods his agreement.

_Great. Just great. _If this is how Raphael is going to act around Annaleigh, then I need to at least consider trying to talk her into staying with April. I'm tired of fighting with my brother.

* * *

><p>"<em>So," <em>April begins and I stifle the urge to groan. I know what's coming. "What's going on between you and Raph?"

I roll my eyes yet again, "_Nothing. _We're just friends."

"Friends don't sleep in each other's arms."

This time, I do groan, "He was just making sure that I was okay! I needed someone to turn to, and he was the only one awake. _That's it!_"

"Okay, okay! It's just that I get the feeling that Raph thinks of you as 'more than a friend,'" she looks at me pointedly before turning her eyes back to the road.

I'm about to insist that she's seeing things, but then I remember the way Raphael had blushed last night. And the way he couldn't seem to speak to me right before April and I had left. _What if she's right? What the heck am I gonna do? I've got too much to deal with already. How much more can I take before I break?_

_But that's not the question, is it? I guess the real question would be, 'Do I like Raphael too?'_

I reach back and scratch Zeb's ears again. He is so lucky that he's a dog._  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>Well? What do you think? Does Annaleigh like Raph? How will Raph take to Zeb? Please R&amp;R.<em>


	22. Enough!

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter! If you want your pen name up here too, please review! I'd love to hear what you think about my story!  
><em>

* * *

><p>Just as I had expected, Mikey had taken to Zeb immediately. Everyone else was okay with him too. Except Red. Raphael had taken one look at my dog and had stomped off to his room.<p>

And for a whole day, he'd been hiding out in there. Only coming out to eat. And when he did come out, he avoided my eyes and glared at Leo. I can just about taste the tension in the air. And it's beginning to drive me crazy.

I'd had a few hours respite from all the turtle drama, but it wasn't the kind of distraction I'd wanted. Casey had just gotten back and he and April had taken me to my dad's viewing while the guys watched Shadow. Yes, it was nice seeing my dad's co-workers, including a few retired Guardians from way back when. But I wish that it had been on different terms...

As soon as I get back in the Lair later that afternoon, I don't even bother to greet Donnie, Mikey, Shadow, Zeb, and Klunk. I didn't even bother to set my shoulder bag down. I make a beeline for Splinter. I don't care that he's in the middle of instructing Leo in something. I need him.

As soon as I reach him, I bend down to his level and bury my face in his kimono, not caring that Leo is staring at me. Splinter wraps his arms around my shoulders and instructs his eldest to make some tea, then asks me if I would like to talk. I nod, and follow him to his room.

An hour later, I'm feeling much better. I had desperately needed that time alone with Splinter. We'd talked about Dad a little, and then he'd told me about how he had found the boys. I had actually found myself laughing as he recounted one of the many shenanigans that his sons had gotten themselves into.

I was still laughing when Leo poked his head into Splinter's room a second time, this time to let us know that April and Casey had dropped off dinner. They weren't staying. I'd urged April to spend some quality time with her husband and baby.

I hugged the old rat, "Thank you so much, _U na li i_. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"It was my pleasure, Sora," he smiled gently at me. "Now, I am sure you must be hungry."

I took that as a dismissal and made my way to the kitchen, were Mikey was heaping pizza on his plate. I'm already in a much better mood, so I decide to have a little fun at the orange-masked turtle's expense. After all, he does deserve it.

I start to walk up behind Mikey, when Donnie almost gives me away. I shake my head frantically and put my finger to my lips. Then I wink. He nods as he tries, and fails, to hold back a grin.

"What's so funny Don - AHHHHH!" Mikey jumps, screaming when I tap him on the shoulder. It's a wonder that he didn't drop his plate. But I don't notice that. Not even Donnie or Leo do. We're too busy laughing.

Mikey pouts and before I know it, I'm laughing so hard that I end up on the floor. Which only makes us all laugh harder. It's several minutes before I can catch my breath. And Mikey's still pouting.

I giggle, but manage to keep myself controlled. "Normally, I would apologize Mikey. But you _did_ have that one coming." I smirk at him.

Mikey tries scowling at me, but it turns into a broad smile, "I guess you're right, Dudette. Good one, by the way."

Leo shakes his head as he chuckles at us. Don high-fives me (or would it be a high-eight?).

That's when I decide to ask about Raphael. I turn to Leo, "Has your brother come out of his room at all?"

He shakes his head, scowling, "Not since you left. I'm about to decide that we just go on patrol without him."

My good mood instantly disappears. _That's it! I've had enough!_ I pull out two plates and angrily start putting pizza on them. "How many pieces does Raphael usually eat?"

Mikey and Leo look at me in confusion, so it's Donnie who answers, "Usually about four. Why?" Then realization dawns on his face. "You're seriously not thinking about going in there _now_, are you?"

"That's not a good idea, Dudette. Raphie'll just explode."

I grab a full plate in each hand, then turn and look at the three of them, "I don't care. This is getting _way _out of hand. It ends _now_."

And before Mikey and Don can say anything else and before Leo can stop me, I march to Raphael's room, Zeb right behind me. I then proceed to start banging on his door with my foot. _He'd better open up soon, or I'm so going to tear this door down._ And that's a promise.

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><p><em>Will Annie be able to talk some sense into Raph? Please R&amp;R.<em>


	23. Whirlwind

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

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><p>I am so mad I can't think straight. Which is why I've locked myself in my room. I don't want to lose control. The last time was bad enough. Who knows what I'll do now.<p>

All of a sudden there's a very insistent banging on my door. Leo, probably. He'd better leave me alone if he knows what's good for him.

I decide to ignore the knocking. Whoever it is will just give up. Like the last two people who came to my door today.

But it doesn't stop. "GO AWAY, LEO!"

The banging stops. _Finally!_

But then someone starts yelling through the door. And it sure isn't Leo.

"First of all, I ain't Leo! Second of all, there ain't no way in hog heaven that I'm going away!" Annaleigh starts banging on the door again. "So. You. Better. Open. This. Door. Right. NOW!"

_Shell. _I really don't want to talk to her right now. But she still hasn't given up, so I have no choice.

I open the door and she shoves a plate of pizza in my hands, walks right past me with her dog on her heels, and settles herself on my hammock with her food. Just glaring at me.

"What do you think-" before I can finish voicing my thought, she interrupts me.

"You do realize that you're being a complete butt, right?"

I gape at her. I knew she had spunk, but I had definitely not been expecting _this_.

She smirks at me. "You're catching flies, _di hi_."

Too late, I realize that my mouth is wide open. I close it with a snap. She motions to me to close my door.

"Now, what on earth has got your shell in a knot?"

"Nothing."

Annaleigh rolls her eyes at me. "I know something's up, Raphael. You've been avoiding me. I can feel the tension between you and Leo. And it has nothing to do with Zeb." She reaches down with her free hand and scratches said mutt's ears, before meeting my eyes again. "I'm not as stupid as you seem to think I am."

I glare back at her.

"Fine, if that's the way you're gonna act, then I guess I'll just go stay with the Jones's," she snaps as she moves to get up. I panic inside. I don't want her to leave.

"I don't think you're stupid," I say.

Annaleigh settles back down and takes a bite of her pizza, before responding. "Why have you been avoiding your family like the plague?"

_Oh shell, no. Not this. _If I tell Annaleigh why, that would mean admitting that I like her. Leo had been right. I was just too embarassed to say anything. I don't know how I'll take it if she doesn't feel the same way about me. "It's not really important, Annaleigh."

Annaleigh's pupils change to slits, but when she speaks again, her voice is gentle. "It's important to me. Why else would I be in here, pestering you?" She waits for me to answer. Then, she practically growls at me, "I'm not going to give up. So you might as well quit being a pain in the backside and answer me."

"Leo called you, 'Annie.'"

She freezes completely. I've never seen her go this stiff before. "April was right," she whispers to herself.

"What do you mean 'April was right'?"

She looks down at Zeb, then at the walls, before finally meeting my eyes. "April said that you like me as 'more than a friend.' Was she right?"

Now it's my turn to look away. I slump my shoulders in defeat, "Yeah."

She puts her plate on my nightstand and hides her face in her hands. I find myself wishing that she wouldn't do that. I want to see her face. I want to be able to see her eyes.

Her voice comes out muffled by her hands, "And you thought that I let Leo call me that because I 'liked' him." She huffed.

"You don't?" I can't keep the surprise from coming through in my voice. "Then, why do let _him_ call you by your nickname, but not _me_?"

"Because you never asked!"

And before I can even think about what to say to that, she picks up her food and walks stiffly to my door. Before she opens it, she turns back to glare at me, her voice dangerously low, "I'm going on patrol with your brothers in half an hour. You'd better go fix things with Leo and the rest of your family if you want to come."

She looks down at her dog, who is still sitting by my hammock, "Heel, Zeb." With that, she whips around so fast that her hair flies and then she storms out of my room, her favorite mutt right behind her. Leaving me completely dumbfounded. _What the shell just happened?_

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	24. Not What I Meant

_TMNt does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter. I hope this chapter is just as good as the last!_

_If you want to see your pen name up here, please review. I'd love to hear your thoughts!_

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><p>As soon as I leave Raphael's room, I stalk straight to the couch, grab my backpack (which I had somehow managed to hold onto that night I saved Raphael from that PD), and head to the bathroom to change into my ninja suit. I'm so irritated and frustrated that I don't even bother glancing at Raphael's brothers, who are staring at me in disbelief.<p>

I take my time pulling my suit on, being extra careful not to mess up the bandages that Donatello had put on my hands. Usually, I never let myself get to the point that I injure myself, but I was too out of it that day. Now, I'm really feeling Daddy's loss. And confusion over a certain turtle. I need this patrol to distract me again.

I slip out of their bathroom quietly and note with satisfaction that Raphael's out and talking with his family. He meets my eyes, freezing for a full minute before Splinter clears his throat. I've gotta admit, it's kind of cute when Red does that.

I'd never told him the real reason why I didn't like him calling me 'Annie.' Actually, I wouldn't have minded if he did. I would just miss how... _Get a hold of yourself, Annaleigh Sora._

I decide to do a few stretches while I wait. It's been a couple of days since I've gone out on patrol and I know I'm a little stiff. Before I know it, I've slipped into my katas. After a few minutes, I sense someone right beside me and I catch Leo's scent.

"Can I help you?" I ask the blue-masked turtle, not even bothering to stop what I'm doing.

When he answers, his voice is a little frustrated, "Raph said that you plan on going with us."

This time, I do stop. I turn to him, "And what's wrong with that?" He's about to answer, but I stop him. "Leonardo Hamato. This better have nothing to do with the fact that I'm a girl. I have _three years_ of training on you _and_ your brothers."

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his beak with his hand, "It doesn't. And Splinter told me that."

"Then why?"

He folds his arms across his chest and then I'm suddenly very aware of Raphael right behind me. And I mean _right_ behind me. He answers me instead of Leo.

"Master Splinter believes that whoever got your dad is looking for you too. You're safer down here."

I whirl around to face him, my irritation going to the next level. "I can handle myself, Raphael. I've proved that _twice_." My voice becomes almost inaudible, "And if I had gone straight home that night, I could have saved Daddy."

Too late do I realize what I had just said. If I had gone straight home... Yes, I could have saved my father. But Raphael would be dead. And by the hurt look on his face, he's thinking the same thing.

"_Di hi_, I didn't mean it like that. I-"

"Can we go now, Leo?"

_How could I have been so heartless? _I feel like crying. Again.

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><p>I know Annaleigh hadn't meant what she said. But she'd still said it. And it <em>hurt<em>. By her face, I can tell that she's mortified with herself, but I really don't want to talk anymore.

"Can we go now, Leo?" I turn my attention to my older brother, begging him to step in. _Never thought I'd ever come to that._

Apparently, I've caught Fearless off guard. It takes him several seconds to answer. "Okay." He turns to Annaleigh, who's pulling at her waist-length hair, beginning to braid it. Trying to distract herself again.

"Okay, Annie. You can go with us. But you _have_ to stay close. Understand?"

She nods and her voice is subdued when she answers, "Okay." As soon as Leo starts heading toward the elevator, she turns to me, "Raphael, I-"

"Forget it," I start to walk away, absolutely certain now that she doesn't care for me at all.

Annaleigh grabs my arm, her half-finished braid completely forgotten, "_Please _let me finish, _ di hi_." Her stormy blue eyes meet mine when she turns me firmly towards her. "I did _not_ mean what I said. I was only thinking of Daddy."

She shifts uncertainly, then looks down at the floor, "You're my best friend. I'd die if something happened to you."

I pull away from her, not wanting to hear the friendship speech. "Wait," she pleads, stopping me. "I didn't tell you the real reason why I don't like you calling me by my nickname." She looks back up at me and I can tell that she's nervous.

I fold my arms across my plastron, "Well, what is it?"

"I like your... your accent. I mean, well... I..." The rest of what she's trying to tell me comes out in a rush," I like the way you s-say my name."

I sure as shell had _not_ been expecting _that_.

Mikey pokes his head out of the elevator, "Well? Are you two coming or not?"

I follow Annaleigh to the garage, completely unaware that Sensei and Zeb are watching the both of us very closely.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	25. Ninja Tag

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Again, big thanks to The Silent Hunter. I hope this meets your expectations. :)_

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><p>As soon as I turn away from Raphael to follow Mikey, my face flushes. And the orange-masked turtle <em>definitely<em> notices. He gives me a mischievous grin. _Wonderful._

I don't know who's going to kill Mikey first. Me, or his red-masked brother.

But I'm not really focused on that right now. I can't believe I'd just hurt Raphael like that. And I _especially_ can't believe that I told him that I _liked_ his voice! What on earth am I going to do?

The boys bypass the Battle Shell. _Good. I need a good rooftop run._ I toss my long auburn braid over my shoulder and follow behind Leo. Mikey and Don right behind me.

And Raphael is practically glued to my side. I guess he's forgiven me for my stupid mouth. _Thank goodness._

Two hours later and absolutely nothing. Just like the first night I had met Raphael and Mikey.

The only difference is that it's not as quiet. Mikey is complaining about how dead it is. Which is putting both Raphael and me on edge. Don't get me wrong, I do like Mikey. He's really funny sometimes, but the guy does know how to get on one's nerves. Even Leo's gritting his teeth.

And just like the first time I'd met Donnie, the peacekeeper intervenes before things get too far out of hand. "Why don't we just play Ninja Tag?"

I cock my head at him, mimicking Zeb's way of showing interest. "Ninja Tag? What's that?"

"What the shell? You mean you've never heard of Ninja Tag? It's about the most fun ever!"

Mikey's about to go on, but I manage to speak while he's catching his breath, "Mikey, I never played games like 'Ninja Tag.' Both of my siblings think I'm dead. And even if they knew I was alive, they still wouldn't play stuff like that with me."

Leo raises his brows in question. But it's Raphael who speaks, "Sounds like lousy siblings to me."

"They can't be lousy if they've never met me, _di hi_."

Donnie steps a little closer to me, "Why wouldn't they have met you?"

"Hmmm... Let's see. They're both in their forties by now. And they were raised by their mother on the rez. I've talked to them once on the phone, but that was when I was four." I carefully re-adjust the knot of my silver mask.

Now Leo finally speaks up. "Speaking about that. I've been wondering..."

"Wondering about what Leo?"

"If Master Yoshi was the one who found you, then why didn't he adopt you instead of your father?" All four of them are paying _very_ close attention now.

My dead family members. Just exactly what I'd been wanting to talk about. "I'd rather not talk about it right now, guys." Raphael must have sensed the despair in my voice, 'cause his hand is suddenly gently squeezing my shoulder. Which, somehow, makes me feel better. "We can swap stories later. Why don't you guys show me how to play 'Ninja Tag?'"

Fifteen minutes later, Raphael, Donnie, and I are trying to find a good place to hide from Leo and Mikey. Which according to the two turtles with me, is almost impossible. Mikey knows just about almost every hiding place in the city. Apparently, he's used most of them while hiding from Raphael.

This bit of info almost had me doubled up in laughter. But I manage to keep it to a little giggle. If Leo and Mikey are anywhere near us, I don't want to give them a clue about our whereabouts.

That's when we hear the shouting. My eyes meet amber and hazel ones. Raphael grins broadly, completely eager for a fight. Donnie's reaction is just a little more subdued, but I can tell he's just as eager to bust a few heads. I pull my nunchuks out of my belt, thankful that Mikey had remembered to give them back to me before we'd left the Lair. Donnie had started to question me about the Guardian symbol, but I'd told him the same thing I had told all four of them earlier. I don't want to talk about it right now. But that's neither here, nor there.

As one, the two turtles make a move just a few seconds before me. I, not a being a team player, struggle to stay close to them. For a few minutes, we own the field, making fun of the PDs. But it doesn't last.

Because I can smell gunpowder.

One of these goons has a gun. And it's pointed right at Raphael. My heart is suddenly in my throat as I call out, "Raphael! Duck!" He does, but it's not enough. My outburst surprised the gunman and his aim had changed at the last second. And the bullet hits Raphael, who cries out and drops to the ground. "Raph!" "Raphael!" Donnie and I lunge at the thug with the Glock, reaching him at the same time and knocking him out easily.

Donnie moves to get the gun out of reach of the last few PDs. And I crouch protectively in front of Raphael, cat-eyed and snarling at anyone who dares to come too close. I refuse to move from my spot, so it's up to Donnie to finish up the last of the goons.

But my mind's not on the purple-masked turtle who's easily flattening the gangsters. I'm too worried about the red-masked turtle behind me.

_This is all my fault!_

Then, Donnie gasps as a blond mountain of a man comes from the mouth of the alleyway straight toward us. And he's not alone. There's about twenty more PDs following him.

_Why oh why did we have to split up?_

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><p><em>You know me. I just cannot resist keeping people in suspense! ;)<em>

_Will Raphael be okay? I bet you know who the big man is... Please R&R._


	26. Shot

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter for all the reviews!  
><em>

_If you like my story, please review.  
><em>

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><p>I duck when Annaleigh tells me to. It's not until I hear the the gun go off and feel the bullet graze my thigh, do I realize what's going on.<p>

As soon as I fall, Don and Annaleigh are on the guy with the gun. Then, Annaleigh crouches right in front of me and starts growling like a wildcat. I try to let her know that I'm okay, but that shot knocked the wind out of me.

Donnie gasps and I jerk to my feet, this time ignoring the pain in my leg. Hun's coming straight toward us with a whole bunch of his little henchmen.

_Wait a sec._ Just a few of them are PDs. I recognize one of them from the night I got brained. The rest of them are dressed like the goons that attacked Mikey and me the first night we met Annaleigh. _FOH._

They stop several away feet from us, jeering. That's when Annaleigh notices that I'm standing up. "You're okay!"

"Not completely, Wildcat. But we got bigger problems." Pun intended.

Donnie sidles up to us. "We need to get out of here, now!"

I'm just itching to get my hands on Hun and that particular PD, but Don's right. We need to go.

Then, one of the older FOH looks right at Annaleigh. "Well, _hello_ Little Orphan Annie. I was hoping to see you again. I hope you liked my work at your place." Annaleigh snarls. _Oh shell._

Hun smiles evilly and suddenly, they're all coming for us. Mammoth man is heading straight for Annaleigh and me. I grab her arm and pull her up the fire escape. Shots ring behind us. Someone found the gun.

But, thankfully, whoever's shooting has a lousy aim. They miss completely.

As soon as we hit the rooftops, Don takes the lead. Annaleigh sticks close to me, clutching her side. _She must not be used to running this much._

After we jump a few rooftops, Annaleigh just stops. Something's not right. She's breathing _way_ too hard. She latches onto my arm with her free hand, still clutching her side. Something's _really_ wrong. "Annaleigh, what's wrong?" I ask, the panic very clear in my voice.

"I'm fine, _di hi_," she pants. But then she suddenly faints. I manage to catch her before her head hits the concrete. That's when I notice the blood on her palm and the hole in her shirt. _Oh shell, no. Please no. Anything but this!_

"Donnie!"

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes after we've split up and Mikey and I haven't found a single clue as to where the others have gone. I'm about to suggest to Mikey that we start looking somewhere else, when my phone rings. It's Donnie.<p>

"Give up already Don?" I ask, smirking. The smirk quickly disappears off of my face. "What? Slow down, Donnie. A gun?" I listen for a few seconds, Mikey literally clinging to my arm.

"Are they okay?" Panic crosses my features for a split second before I can gain control. "Okay. Okay. We'll call April and Splinter. Okay. We'll meet you there." Donnie hangs up before I can tell him to be careful.

"Leo, what's going on?" I haven't heard this much fear in Mikey's voice in a long time. I pinch the bridge of my beak.

"Don, Raph, and Annaleigh came across some PDs. One of them had a gun." Mikey gasps, but lets me finish. "Raph was grazed on the thigh, but Annie was shot in the stomach."

When Mikey answers this time, his voice is very small, "Are they going to be okay?"

"Raph is. But Don doesn't know about Annie. They're taking her to April and Casey's in the Battle Shell. I need to call to let them know what's going on so that April can take her to the hospital."

My blue-eyed brother is still holding onto me for dear life. "Mikey, do you think you can call Splinter? He needs to know what's going on too." Mikey nods.

_I should not have let her come. Why did I let her come?_

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	27. Wildcat

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big Thanks to the Silent Hunter.  
><em>

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><p>Two hours later and the five of us (actually seven, if you count Shadow and Zeb) are sitting in the Jones's apartment, waiting on Casey to call us about Annaleigh. Fearless is pacing, Mikey is clutching Shadow to him, Donnie's tinkering with something, and Splinter's sitting next to me on the couch. Zeb is sitting at my feet, his head on my knee. And I've got Annaleigh's nunchuks and mask in my hands. I haven't put them down since April and Casey took her to the hospital. <em>If I ever found out who shot Annaleigh, I'm gonna...<em>

If we don't hear anything soon, I'm going to go crazy.

Splinter's rubbing my shell with his hand. He hasn't done that in a long time. He's probably more worried than I am. After all, he knew Annaleigh when she was little.

_Please let her be okay._

Then, Fearless's phone goes off. I try to wait patiently as he talks to Casey, but I find myself wishing that he would just turn it on speaker so we can know what's going on.

After a few minutes, Leo hangs up. "That was Casey-"

I can't control myself. "We know, Leo! _Please,_ just cut to the chase and tell us what's going on!"

I fully expected Sensei and Leo to snap at me for losing it, but neither one does. Splinter just squeezes my shoulder.

And Leo stays completely calm, "Annie made it through the surgery."

I breathe in relief. I hadn't realized that I'd been holding my breath. "Will she be okay?"

Leo nods, "Yes. They took her off the oxygen right after because she didn't need it. They're keeping her for a few days before they release her just to make sure that she doesn't have any complications."

I scratch Zeb's ears, so relieved that I can't say anything.

"Can we go see her?" Mikey asks. Don looks up from whatever he's tinkering with.

"I do not believe we can Michelangelo. It would be too difficult, even for well-trained ninjas like ourselves, to sneak into a hospital." Splinter says gently. Mikey and Donnie both look away, completely dejected. I hadn't realized how much we've all come to see Annaleigh as family in the few days that we've known her.

"Actually, Casey said that we might be able to." We all look at Leo.

"What do you mean, my son?"

"Well, April told Casey that the roof of one of the hospital wings is right underneath Annie's window. And that there are no cameras on that side whatsoever. We should be able to sneak in, no problem."

"Can we go now?" Mikey asks, taking the words right out of my mouth.

Leo shakes his head. "Not yet. Annie's doctor is still with her. April's going to call us when he leaves. And we need to wait for Casey to get here. Shadow and Zeb can't stay here by themselves."

Another hour later, the five of us are now hiding in the shadows on the hospital roof. As soon as April opens the window, we slip into Annaleigh's room. I hang back as Splinter and my bros make their way to her bedside. April moves to stand next to me, squeezing my shoulders in a one-armed hug. "She's still coming out of it," she whispers.

Splinter puts his paw gently on Annaleigh's forehead and she blinks, _"U na li i?"_ Her voice is so weak that I really want to hunt down the goon who did this. I clench my fists.

"Where's Raphael? Is he okay?"

That right there almost makes my jaw drop. Annaleigh's lying in a hospital bed after being shot and the first thing she asks about is _me?_ "I'm fine, Annaleigh." I move to the other side of her bed and take her hand, "I'm right here."

She glares at me, "If you ever scare me like that again..." I find myself chuckling, my bros and April laughing with me. Sensei just shakes his head.

I kiss her forehead, not even caring that my family is watching. "I could say the same thing to you, Wildcat."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	28. Blame

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter. :)  
><em>

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><p>Two days after I was shot, I was discharged. Splinter and Leo had decided that it wasn't safe for me to stay in the city. And I didn't have the strength to argue with them. So, at the moment, all of us are heading up to Casey's grandmother's old farmhouse in New Jersey. Raphael's sitting right beside me in the middle seat of April's van with his arm around me, and Mikey's behind us in the back next to Shadow. Who's fast asleep in her car seat.<p>

I'd really wanted to be alone with the red-masked turtle (well, as alone as we could be with April and Casey in the front) to talk. But like his bigger brother, Mikey had insisted on on not letting me out of his sight. And I didn't have the heart to tell him no. The others have Zeb with them in the Battle Shell.

So, instead of talking with Raphael, I spend most of the trip recounting old Cherokee stories. And I have to say, I most definitely have the best audience. It seems like no time has gone by at all when we pull up to the slightly dilapidated farmhouse.

April turns back to me, "Sorry about the view. Casey and I are still working on it."

I smile at her, "That's okay. When you've lived in Miami, you've seen a lot worse. And, it's really not that bad. I kind of like it."

As soon as we stop, Mikey literally jumps out, sheds his hat and raincoat, and starts running around. If it didn't hurt me so much to laugh, I would have been rolling. I settle for a few quiet giggles. Raphael rolls his eyes, muttering, "What a bonehead."

That fedora Red's wearing has been distracting me the whole trip. Because the windows in April's van aren't tinted, the two turtles who rode with us had to go incognito.

I cannot help it. Once Raphael picks me up and has me firmly in his arms, I pull that ridiculous hat down over his eyes, giggling.

"Annaleigh! Do you want me to drop you?" he says, exasperated.

Which only makes me giggle harder, no matter the pain. "I could not resist," I respond in very bad French accent as I knock the ridiculous thing off his head.

He rolls his eyes at me. "You're spending _way_ too much time with Mikey." But I can tell he's amused. I can see it in his beautiful amber eyes.

When that bullet had grazed Raphael, I'd realized something. He was important to me. Is important. More important than anyone else I've ever known. What I'm trying to say, I guess, is that I _really_ like him. A lot. _But how on earth am I going to tell him that?_

I don't know what my problem is. I know for a fact that he's fallen for me. But I can't seem to open up to him. All of those years spent hiding from the world has left me more than physically scarred.

Raphael walks inside and sets me on the couch. Leo comes in with my bags. No matter how many times I'd said that I could walk on my own and carry my own stuff, the boys insisted on carrying me and my things. Well, usually Raphael carried me (even though I was pretty sure his leg had to have been hurting him). But when he was sleeping in this morning, it was Leo who'd carried me into the Lair. I know that Fearless (Raphael is rubbing off on me) blames himself for what happened. I'm gonna have to fix that.

Before I can plan my strategy, Shadow starts crying in her car seat. "Just hand her and her bottle to me, Case."

"Are you sure?" Casey looks at me uncertainly, then to Raphael, who's shaking his head. I elbow Red, hard enough to bruise my elbow on his shell, while I'm still looking up at Casey.

"You might as well. Since I can't do anything else." I glare at Raphael out of the corner of my eye, "And it's not like she's going to hurt me."

"Okay Annie," he says setting the baby in my arms. I hold back a gasp when he accidentally brushes against my side. And although the man doesn't notice, the turtle next to me certainly does. Raphael clenches his fists, gritting his teeth. I know he's not angry at Casey.

He's furious at the bozo who shot me. Which is the real reason I had agreed to this little vacation. I don't want Raphael going on a quest for revenge. I want him with me. Where I can both see him and know that he's okay.

Casey hands me Shadow's bottle and I lean against Raphael as I feed her. I'm trying to calm him down, or, at least, distract him. It works. He wraps his arm around my shoulders again.

Since everyone else deemed that it wouldn't be safe for anyone to try to carry me up and down the stairs, it was decided that I would sleep on the couch. I didn't mind, of course. I'd spent most of last week on the couch in the Lair. Raphael and Mikey both refused to sleep anywhere else, so they were sleeping on the living room floor. Which is were they are now. It had been such a long day, we'd all decided to turn in early.

It's now about five in the morning and I'm wide awake. I don't know why. I haven't had a single nightmare since that night that Raphael had held me as I cried. But I just couldn't get back to sleep. Then I hear someone coming down the stairs. Two someones. From the sound of it, it's one turtle followed closely by Zeb. And I immediately know that the turtle's Leo.

Zeb's been sticking close to the blue-masked turtle ever since that night. My mutt (as Raphael calls him) is a lot smarter than they give him credit for. He knows Leo's upset about something.

Said turtle walks past my couch and his sleeping brothers, heading straight to the door. I sit up slowly, quietly.

"And where do you think _you_ are going this early in the morning?" I ask, crossing my arms.

Leo whips around, surprise evident on his face. Thanks to my mutation, I can see him perfectly in the dark. "Annie, what are you doing up?"

Then it hits me. This is why I'm up. Somehow, I knew Leo would be up too. This is my chance to fix things, to get him to quit blaming himself. "Probably for the same reason you are. And I'm not talking about trying to get my katas and meditation done before Mikey wakes up."

He chuckles at that.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Annie. You can barely walk-"

I hold up my hand to shush him. "That wasn't what I meant. I was just wanting to talk with you some. If that's okay?"

His expression is a little uncertain. "Umm... okay." He moves to pick me up.

"Wait. I kind of need to leave the others a note. They'll freak out if they wake up and I'm not here."

"You mean Raph will freak out," he says, looking at his red-masked brother, who's currently snoring like a chainsaw.

I wince as my eyes travel to the bandage wrapped around Raphael's thigh. It's not Leo's fault. It's my fault that we both got hurt. If only I had been faster.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	29. Big Brother

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter!  
><em>

* * *

><p>Zeb would not leave me alone. He's not really bugging me, just following me everywhere. And I have no clue as to why. I'd figured he'd stick close to Annie, the way he had stuck close to Raph while Annaleigh was in surgery. But he was still sleeping on the floor next to my cot when I awoke.<p>

Speaking of Annie, I'd been really surprised to see that she was awake. I'd expected her sleep in until about noon. Especially since she hadn't been sleeping well in that hospital. As I remember seeing her in that bed the first time... I feel so _guilty_. I'd told her that she couldn't come. But then I'd allowed her to talk me into letting her come with us anyway. If she hadn't come, we wouldn't have played Ninja Tag. And neither Annie or my brother would have been shot.

I wait patiently as she writes her note. Not surprised in the least that she asks me to leave it by Raph's pillow. I know how much she cares for him.

I pick her up and carry her outside, Zeb right behind me, all three of us silent. Halfway to the barn, she's speaks up, "You know, what happened to me and your brother wasn't your fault. You had no idea that those PDs and FOH were waiting for us." But there's something in her voice...

"And it's not your fault either."

She looks up at my face, her jaw set stubbornly. "Yes it is. If I had just tackled that guy instead of shouting, Raphael would not have been shot and-"

"Donnie said that neither of you were anywhere near that creep. He said that you did all you could," I interrupt her, my voice firm.

By this time, I've set Annie down on a hay bale in the barn, Zeb curling up at her feet. She won't meet my eyes. That's when I realize that she's just as afraid of failure as I am. Just as afraid of letting other people down.

"You do realize that if it hadn't been for you, then Raph, Mikey, and Donnie would all be dead, right? You didn't let them down. You didn't let any one of us down."

She sniffs, still not meeting my eyes. I sit next to her, "Annaleigh, I'm serious. I have a lot to thank you for."

She doesn't answer me, just buries her face in her hands. I rub her back gently, careful not to hurt her any more than she already is.

She doesn't cry, thankfully. Then her muffled voice sounds through her hands, "I don't know what to do anymore."

"You mean Raph."

She stiffens and looks up at me, her blue-gray eyes wide, "How did you...?"

"It wasn't that hard to figure out. I think the only one still in the dark is Raph. Even Casey suspects something."

"You mean April told him."

I laugh at that. "Yeah, you're probably right." I'm about to ask her-

"I take it that everyone's okay with the possibility of me and Raphael then?" Annie asks, her expression very uncertain. She's scared. This is completely new territory for her. The rest of us had already been through the wringer with April and Casey.

I take one of her hands in mine. "At first, I wasn't. When Raph first starting liking you, he exploded a lot more than usual. But once he knew that you knew how he felt, he actually calmed down a lot. He's almost a different turtle now when you're around. I think it's starting to scare Mikey." Annie giggles at that. I pause, then figure I might as well get the question out, "When were you planning on telling _him_?"

The fear is very evident on her face, "I... I don't know. I w-want to tell him. I want h-him to know. But every time I try... For some reason, I just can't get the words out."

"You don't have to be scared of how he'll react. Just tell him, okay? Don't leave him hanging."

She nods and looks down again, "You're right. I'm sorry for being so stupid."

I give her a one-armed hug, "You're not being stupid. April was just this tongue-tied when she realized that she liked Casey." I get up to do my katas.

Annie grabs my wrist. "Hey Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"This is going to sound really silly. But, for what it's worth, even though you're younger than me, you're the closest I've ever had to a real big brother. Thanks."

I smile at her, "You're welcome."

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	30. Secret

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter! Thanks for reviewing!  
><em>

* * *

><p>I wake up to Mikey shaking me, "Raphie! Wake up!"<p>

"Go away Mikey. Leave me alone," I say, swatting at him.

"But Raph! Annie's gone!"

At that, I bolt upright, my eyes instantly going to the couch, "What the shell?"

Then my hand brushes against a piece of paper. I pick it up.

"Awww. She left Raphie a looove note."

Absentmindedly, I throw my pillow at Mikey while I read,

_Di hi,_

_Don't worry, I'm just talking in the barn with Leo. Come on out whenever you decide to wake up, chainsaw._

_Annaleigh_

"What does '_di hi_' mean?" Too late do I realize that Mikey's now behind me and was reading over my shoulder. "And she's right about the chainsaw. You snore."

"Thanks Mike. I would never have known," I say sarcastically. "And '_di hi_' means 'killer.'" As soon as I tell him that, I know that I'm gonna regret it. Starting right now.

"That's soooo sweet! You guys have special nicknames for each other!"

I look at him, "Mikey."

"Yeah?"

Then I glare, "You got less than five seconds to get out of this room before I pound you to a paste, bonehead."

Mikey yelps then makes one of the fastest exits I've ever seen. If Annaleigh had seen that, she would have been rolling. For some odd reason, she actually thinks that most of the dumb stuff my orange-masked brother does is hilarious.

I stand up and am about to go out the door when I hear Sensei's walking stick. "My son. I was wondering if we could talk?"

I sigh as I sit on the couch, "Sure. What about?"

Splinter sits next to me, "Your intentions towards Sora."

It takes me a second to realize that he's talking about Annaleigh. Only Sensei calls her Sora. "How did you know about that?"

Splinter smiles gently, "I am a father. I notice things most miss. And besides," he continues, clearly amused, "everyone else already knows."

I look down, trying hard not to notice the heat in my face, "I really like her Sensei. But I have no idea how she feels. And it's killing me, not knowing."

Splinter puts his paw on my shoulder, "Sometimes, it is best just to ask."

"It's not that simple," I say, looking back up at him.

His face is serious, "Yes it is. You are both making this harder than it should be. Ask her. You may never know what she thinks until you do."

"Okay."

* * *

><p>I watch Leo as he does his katas, enjoying the peace and quiet. That is, until the barn door bangs open and Mikey comes in. He looks a little freaked. Hiding from from his red-masked brother.<p>

I smirk and pat the spot next to me on the hay bale. "Come sit over here Mikey. I won't let Raphael get you."

He makes his way over to me, nervously glancing over his shoulder.

"What on earth did you do this time?"

He looks at me, his face sheepish, "I, uh, teased Raph about you."

_"Again?" _I groan.

He smiles apologetically. "Again."

I lightly smack the back of his head, "Maybe I shouldn't protect you then."

His face is instantly fearful. "No! Please don't let him get me!" he practically squeals. Klunk jumps off my lap and Zeb whines at his outburst.

I find myself wincing. "Mikey, don't do that. I told you it hurts my ears."

"Sorry Annie." Then his mood instantly changes. "Oh, guess what?" ADD much?

I chuckle, "What Mikey?"

"Our birthdays are tomorrow! We'll be eighteen!"

Leo freezes in his katas and I glare at the both of them. "And why, exactly, did no one tell me this sooner?" I hiss.

Leo's brown eyes meet mine uncertainly, "Mikey wasn't supposed to say anything."

"That doesn't answer my question Leonardo." Mikey moves to sneak off, and I turn to him, "Sit your shell back down, Michelangelo."

He does, gulping. "Now. Why were you not supposed to say anything about it?"

"Raphie asked us not to."

"_Raphael_? Why would he ask that?"

Leo clears his throat, and I turn back to him, cat-eyed. "He said that you had too much going on right now. He said that he didn't want to overwhelm you."

I mutter quietly in Cherokee, mixing in a few choice Japanese words, then glare at him and Mikey. "Do me a favor. When your brother finally gets his butt in here, make yourselves scarce."

"Why?"

"Let's just say that it's not gonna be pretty."

* * *

><p><em>Oooh. Raph's gonna get it! Please R&amp;R.<em>


	31. Told You So

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter for all the awesome reviews! Believe it or not, your thoughts on this little story has helped me big time._

* * *

><p>As soon as I open the barn door-<p>

"Raphael Hamato!"

_Oh shell. What now?_

Leo's frozen in the middle of his katas. Mikey's sitting on a hay bale next to Annaleigh. Who is cat-eyed and glaring daggers at me. _What did I do this time?_

Leo and Mikey quickly head out the door. As Mikey passes me, he puts his hand on my shoulder, "Good luck, Dude. "

Zeb slinks out after them, his short little tail firmly clamped to his back end.

_Will someone please tell me what's going on?_

"Wildcat, what-?"

"Sit," she commands, indicating the spot Mikey had just vacated. I've never seen her this angry.

"Annaleigh-"

She hisses, "What possessed you to do that?

"Do what?"

Now Annaleigh's growling. I've never seen anything so scary. Not even the Shredder compares. She says something in Cherokee under her breath as she crosses her arms. "You know very well what, Raphael. Why would you keep your and your brothers' birthday a secret from me?"

"Mikey told you."

Annaleigh scoots a little farther away from me, "Yes, and it's a good thing he did too." She pauses and just glares at me. "Leonardo told me it was because you didn't want me to get overwhelmed. Is this true?"

I can't hold her gaze. "Yeah," I say quietly. I quickly defend myself before she explodes, "Your doc told April that if you tried to do too much you could pop your stitches. I didn't want you to hurt yourself anymore than you already are."

She sighs, then puts her hand gently on my arm, "_Di hi_. Look at me." My gaze meets her stormy blue one. She smiles softly. _I will never understand women._

"I appreciate why you did it. But I need you to understand where I'm coming from. You guys are my family now. And the fact that you chose to keep your birthday a secret from me... That hurt. That hurt a lot."

I'd never meant to hurt her. I wince and Annaleigh rubs my arm. "Just promise that you'll never to do something like this again, 'kay?"

"Okay, Annaleigh."

"Oh. And one more thing."

I tense, fully expecting her to snap at me about something else. "What?"

Her smile broadens, "Do you mind carrying me to the kitchen? Apparently, April and I have a birthday party to plan. Don't worry, I'll take it easy."

_I definitely will never ever understand women._

After Annaleigh, April, and Casey leave for the small country store, I realize, too late, that I never got to ask her how she felt about me.

I sit on the couch next to Donnie with a sigh. My genius brother looks up from the engineering book he's been reading for the past week. "I take it that you didn't get to ask Annie how she felt?"

My head whips toward him so fast, I can feel my neck pop. "How the shell did you know about that?" I glare at him.

"I heard you and Sensei talking about it while I was getting my coffee." Donnie looks down at his book and flips a page. "What happened?"

I take one of my sai out of my belt and absently start flipping it. "Mikey told Annaleigh that our birthdays are tomorrow."

Donnie's hazel eyes meet mine again, no surprise in them whatsoever. "And she flipped out. I _told_ you that it was a bad idea. But apparently, no one listens to me."

"Don, I really don't want to hear 'I told you so' right now." I lean my head back and close my eyes, wishing that I could just hit rewind and fix this whole mess.

"Fine. But I _did_ tell you so."

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	32. Mission

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. If you want to see what Annaleigh looks like, the link is on my profile!  
><em>

_Big thanks to The Silent Hunter. I really appreciate you sticking with me._

* * *

><p>"You've got to be kidding!" If I wasn't laughing so hard, I would have agreed with Casey. As it is, I can barely breath.<p>

"Mikey's favorite book is a baby book?" Darn it Casey, I'd almost gained control. Now I'm laughing even harder.

I had just seen a little bookstore out my window and decided to get the boys some books. There really isn't much else to choose from anyway. So, I'd asked April what the guys' favorite books are. And Mikey's favorite is _Where the Wild Things Are._ It isn't that bad of a book, really. But daddy quit reading that to me when I turned six. And for someone to still love it at eighteen... Well, you get my point.

April shakes her head as Casey puts me in the old wheelchair that used to belong to his grandmother. That dusty old thing is the only reason that Raphael let me come. Otherwise, I'd be sitting on the couch with his arm wrapped around me. Not that I'm complaining. I love it when Red does that. But that kind of thing puts a damper on birthday shopping. Which is the reason why I agreed to let Casey push me in this old thing.

April scowls at us. "Just don't tease him about it, guys."

I look up at Casey, then we both look at her. "Fat chance of that," I say, and we both crack up again.

"Will you two just get going?" April says, rolling her eyes at us.

I give her a mock salute, "Aye, aye, Captain." April's still shaking her head at us as she heads into the grocery store.

You can probably tell that I'm _really_ glad to get out of that house. I just wish that Raphael could have come with us.

Casey pushes me into the bookstore and I direct him to where we need to go. First area. Comics. I may laugh about Mikey's choice of books, but I'm not going to embarrass him by giving him baby books on his birthday. I'm not that mean. I'll just wait for April Fool's.

Casey helps me pick out a few comics that Mikey doesn't have yet, then we head over to the history section. Don and Leo both already have their favorite books, so I need to look harder for them. "Okay Case. We need something on war, preferably about Japan and Ninjitsu, for Leo."

"Uh..."

I laugh, and shake my head. "Right. I'm asking the _wrong_ person. Do you think you could find Jurassic Park in the fiction section for Raphael?"

"That I _can_ do." Casey says, leaving me to my hunting. It takes all three of us only hour to get all our shopping done. But, the little stores are about a two hour one-way drive from where we're staying. So we've been gone five hours.

When we get back to the farmhouse, Mikey somehow manages to beat Raphael to my door. "Hey Annie! What'd you get me?"

I roll my eyes and chuckle at him. "None of your business. And you better not touch any of those bags, Michelangelo." I mock glare at him, "Or I'll set Raphael on you."

Said turtle chuckles as he picks me up. "And I would enjoy every minute too. Mikey hasn't shut up all day."

"That doesn't surprise me."

"Donnie just made dinner. Hope you're hungry."

"It had better not be pizza."

The next morning, I wake up to April gently shaking my shoulder. I'd asked her to get me up before the boys. I still have presents to wrap.

Splinter comes down the stairs just a minute after I rub the sleep from my eyes and he and April help me to the kitchen table. I manage to get all four presents wrapped before Don comes in for his coffee.

"Happy Birthday, Donnie!" I practically sing.

Donatello smiles at me. "Thanks," he murmurs sleepily.

It isn't long before before the smell of chocolate chip pancakes has all four of the boys at the table.

"It's present time!" Mikey yells. Which has me laughing. Don smacks his orange-masked brother on the head, fully awake now that he's downed his first cup of joe.

As soon as Casey comes downstairs with Shadow and the boys open their presents... "Oh, shoot. I left something in the van!" Step one, underway.

"Want me to go get it?" Leo offers.

"No, I need to go out there. I know exactly where it is."

Raphael stands up. "I'll take you out there." Step one, complete.

As soon as we're out the door, I motion to him to set me down on the porch swing. Step two, complete. "What's wrong Annaleigh?"

"Nothing." I shake my head, "Actually, there is something. When you came out to the barn yesterday, you looked like you were about to ask me something." In reality, Splinter had just told me last night what was on Raphael's mind.

"I, uh, well." I've never seen Raphael stutter this bad. I find _myself_ blushing.

"Just spit it out, _di hi_." I whisper softly.

He wraps his arm around my shoulders and I lean into him. "Well, you know how I feel about you. But I have absolutely no idea how you feel about me."

"Are you asking me if I like you?" I raise my eyebrows at him. Step three, complete.

"Well, uh... Yeah. I mean, if you don't feel the same way, I can under-"

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull his head toward mine, kissing him softly on the lips. Interrupting him midstream.

I pull back and his face is completely shocked.

I giggle, "Does that answer your question?"

"Uh huh." I've never seen him blush this hard. And I'm loving it.

"Oh, and I never did leave anything in the van."

"You planned this, Wildcat?"

I practically beam at him, "Shell yeah, babe." This time, _he's_ kissing _me_. Mission accomplished.

* * *

><p><em>And Mikey's favorite book really is Where the Wild Things Are. Found that bit of info on www. tmnt. com. Minus the spaces, of course.<br>_

_Please R&R._


	33. Answers

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

* * *

><p>It had finally taken Sensei laying down the law to get my brothers away from their new books. As for me, I haven't even cracked mine open yet. I'm too busy spending time with <em>my<em> girl. Who's currently laughing at Donnie's irritated expression at having to put down his book on 'turn of the century engineering.' (Annaleigh had told me that phrase. Apparently, she's more of bookworm than Leo and Don put together.)

"I'm glad you like your presents, but we're not going to be able to roast s'mores if your beaks are still stuck in those books." Annaleigh says, smirking. I still can't believe that she's _mine_.

"S'mores?" Mikey literally pops up. If he had a tail, it would probably be wagging faster than Zeb's. His reaction has the rest of them chuckling. Sensei and I just roll our eyes. Leave it to Mikey.

"Yes," Annaleigh says when she finally catches her breath. She's been laughing a lot more since she kissed me this morning. I've never seen her this relaxed. "I figured we could swap stories around the campfire. There's a few old Cherokee stories that you haven't heard yet."

Two hours later and we're all sitting around the campfire as Sensei tells us an old Japanese ghost story. Annaleigh's tolerance for scary stuff is a lot lower than Mikey's. Currently, she's plastered against my side, shivering. Which is hilarious to me, but I do not dare laugh at her again. She's already growled at me for that when Casey told us about the Jersey Devil.

She sighs in relief when Splinter finishes.

"Hey Annie?" Don asks.

"Yeah Donnie?"

My genius brother pauses, a little uncertain, "Umm, I've been wondering. How did that PD know you?" I've been wondering that too. Except that I knew he was a FOH.

Annaleigh winces, "He was a FOH, Don. Not a PD." I rub her back gently. I know it hurts her to talk about this.

"Speaking of FOH, how come you know so much about them when you've spent most of your life in Florida?" Leo asks, his brow furrowed. I'm about to tell the both of them to lay off and quit stressing my girl, but Annaleigh speaks up before I can say anything.

"Because they're partly responsible for Uncle Yoshi finding me." She looks to our Sensei, "Your father already knows this part. But I have to start at the beginning to explain it properly." She gives a shaky sigh and leans more into me.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, Wildcat." I say gently.

Leo speaks up, "But Raph, they attacked you, Mike, and Don. And shot Annie." I wince at that reminder. "We need to know everything we can possibly learn about them."

I glare at him, but Annaleigh's nodding, "Leo's right, babe. I should have told you guys sooner." She takes a deep breath, looking to Splinter for encouragement, before continuing.

"I have no memories of when I was real little. The earliest thing I remember was waking up on the streets when I was three. Spending the night with whichever homeless person had a little extra to share."

"Why didn't they take you to an orphanage?" Mikey asks. He's actually paying attention pretty well for a chucklehead.

"Because my mutation had already kicked in. They knew what would happen to me if they turned me in."

It's Don who interrupts this time, "What do you mean, your 'mutation kicked in?'"

"That's later, Donnie. As I was saying, a few months after that and the FOH started up. At first, they just vandalized places, spray-painting stuff like, 'Kill the mutants' or 'Mutants are the Enemy.' That kind of stuff."

"And they found you," April adds softly.

Annaleigh nods, "Yes." She looks at me, then over at Donnie. "The same one who taunted me in that alley. He was just a teenager when he came across me."

"What happened?" Casey asks, holding Shadow against his shoulder.

"He tried to rough up the old woman I was staying with that night. I growled at him and my eyes changed." She sniffs and I see tears running down her face. I pull her even closer to me.

"S-she was j-just trying to p-protect me and h-he killed her. S-snapped her n-neck." There's a collective gasp from around the campfire. All of us are completely shocked. Except Sensei. Something tells me that he's heard this part of the story before. Zeb whines and lays his head on Annaleigh's knee.

It takes my Wildcat a few minutes to get herself back under control. By that time, Mikey's plastered himself to her other side, being careful not to rub against her stitches.

"Then he turned on me and I... I screamed. Uncle Yoshi just happened to be passing by and he heard me." She sniffed again, "If he hadn't, I would have died that night." My free hand clutches into a fist. I'm gonna kill that lousy, FOH scum. Right after I strangle the guy who shot Annaleigh. They're not getting _any_ mercy from me. That's a guarantee.

"Master Yoshi took you in, then? But how come-" Leo starts to ask.

"How come Daddy adopted me?" Annaleigh finishes for my blue-masked brother. "By that time, Uncle Yoshi knew that the Shredder was hunting him down. He didn't want to put me at risk. So he took me to the Utroms. They were the ones who classified my mutation and put me with Daddy."

"But how did your Dad know 'em?" Casey asks, his face showing his confusion. And I'm right there with him.

"Because Daddy was a retired Guardian." Okay. _That_ explains how Annaleigh knows Ninjitsu.

"But I thought all the Guardians were Japanese. How did a Cherokee become a Guardian?" April asks.

But it's Splinter who answers this time, "Because his father, who was also a Guardian, adopted him. That is one reason why Annie was placed with Hezekiah Whitefeather."

That doesn't make sense to me. "Wait a sec. Annaleigh, I thought your dad's name was Jedidiah Davies?"

"That's what he changed his name to. Before Uncle Yoshi... Well, my name was Annie Whitefeather then."

"Why didya change your names? Were the FOH after you?" Mikey pipes back in.

"No. After Uncle Yoshi..." She pauses again. I get the feeling that she misses Master Yoshi as much as Splinter does.

"The Shredder learned about me. Daddy and I had to fake our deaths. It wasn't until we learned that the Shredder had finally been exiled that we even thought of moving back here."

"But why is your symbol silver?" I ask. "We've only ever seen gold ones."

Again, our father answers instead of Annaleigh, "My guess is that Annie was never a Guardian." Annaleigh nods, but doesn't have time to expand on that.

Because Don's curiosity is finally getting the better of him. "Annie, what did you mean, 'classified' your mutation? Wasn't it caused by the same ooze that mutated us?"

She shakes her head, "No. All they could figure was that I'm completely human. Apparently, I'm a different kind of mutant altogether."

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	34. Kiss n' Tell

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter, syzygy101, TMNTluckygirl, and DennieHamato for reviewing! You guys are awesome!_

_Here's a little treat from Mikey's point of view. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Two months since our birthday. And two months since Raph and Annie supposedly 'hooked up.' If it weren't for the fact that Sensei moved my sleeping bag between Raph's sleeping bag and Annie's couch that night, I wouldn't have believed it. I mean, yeah they're always together now, and now Annie calls Raph 'babe,' (which is totally weird, ya know? Raphie's definitely not a 'babe.' More like a big ugly gorilla.), but that's not really enough to convince me. I mean, it's been two months and not once have I caught them making out! Not even a little smooch!<p>

I've tried everything! Sneaking around, peering around corners, eavesdropping (what the shell is an 'eave' anyway and why would you drop it?), even following them when they leave the house. It's like Annie's got some kind of built-in Mikey-radar, or something. 'Cause whenever I get the camera aimed just right, she'll be looking right _at_ me. Which gives me the creeps. How the shell _does_ she _do_ that?

Thankfully, Annie's never told Raph. 'Cause if she had, I'd be turtle stew. And I'd really like to keep my shell _intact_.

I hear Annie singing in the kitchen. Wherever she is, Raphie's usually not far behind. Might as well try again. Maybe I'll get lucky!

But Annie's alone, singing country at the top of her lungs as she's dancing around (now that she's got her stitches out) the kitchen making dinner. Usually, my bros and I hate country. But Annie sings so much better than those yahoos, that there really is no reason to complain.

_Hello you longshots,_

_You dark horse runners,_

_Hair brush singers,_

_Dashboard drummers,_

_Hello you wild magnolias, just waiting to bloom!_

_There's a little bit of all that inside of me and you,_

_Thank God even crazy dreams come true!_

"Hey Annie! What'cha cooking? Can I help?"

She turns and beams at me. "Spaghetti." She hands me the package of noodles then turns back to the pantry, leaving the singing to the radio again. "I'm kind of getting tired of pizza-"

"AHHHHH!" I scream. I can't believe she just said that! How the shell can anyone get tired of pizza?

Annie winces, "Mikey, cut it out! I _told_ you. My ears are a _lot_ more sensitive than Klunk's."

"Sorry," I say, my eyes wide. "But, but you said you don't like pizza!"

She rolls her eyes at me, tilting her head just like Raphie does. They're even starting to pick up things from each other! This is just too weird!

"I never said that I don't like pizza, Mikey. Calm down. Breathe." It's not until she says that do I realize that I'm starting to hyperventilate. She smirks at me, trying not to laugh. "Besides, I thought you _liked_ spaghetti?"

She's got me there. "But nothing compares to a big, hot pizza with everything on top!"

This time, she does start laughing, "Oh Mikey. What on earth would we do without you?"

That's when Raphie decides to come in and Annie just lights up. Before I can even move the camera from behind my back, she kisses him! Right on the mouth! And I totally miss a golden opportunity! _Aw shell! _Guess I'll just have to try harder!

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><p><em>The song tidbit is 'Crazy Dreams' by Carrie Underwood.<em>

_Please R&R._


	35. Home

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_Happy Halloween!  
><em>

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><p>It's been two days since I kissed Raphael in front of Mikey. I can't help but laugh at the memory of the orange-masked turtle's shell-shocked (learned that term from Donnie) reaction. Anywho, yesterday was my birthday and today we'll be heading back to the city. And my red-masked beau is not happy. Not at all. If it were up to him, I'm pretty sure he'd keep me locked up in this farmhouse for forever. I love that he worries about me, but at the same time, it's starting to get a little annoying. As soon as we have some alone time when we get back to the Lair, I'll have to talk to him about it.<p>

At the moment, though, I've got to focus. I'm sparring with Splinter. He's _very_ quick and agile for an old rat. Definitely keeping me on my toes.

His sons are watching closely. They were cheering me on earlier, but I guess they'd thought that I'd never last this long. Somehow, they keep forgetting that I've had more training than them. But that really doesn't matter now. Splinter just flattened me.

"Excellent Sora. Your father taught you well." He smiles at me, not even the tiniest bit breathless. I stand and we bow.

"Thank you, Sensei," I say, panting. I'd only recently started calling him that. He'd offered to continue my training and I'd agreed. I _will not_ let myself get shot again. I will not put my new family through that again. _Especially_ not Raphael.

Whose arms are now wrapping around me from behind, "That was very good Wildcat. You lasted a lot longer than Leo would have." Said turtle rolls his eyes, but doesn't comment. I turn my head to kiss Raphael softly and a camera clicks. The noise is too soft for Red to hear, thankfully. Otherwise, I'd be writing Mikey's obituary. Speaking about Mikey, I'm gonna have to get that picture away from him. Somehow.

I pull my head back to look Raphael in the eye, "We'd better go help pack." He follows me back to the front porch, his fingers firmly intwined with mine.

This time, I travel with the guys in the Batteshell, Splinter and Zeb with the Jones's. Donnie, Raphael and I are sitting in the back where Red's bike would usually be. Leo's driving. And Mikey had called shotgun, of course. Klunk's curled up in his lap.

And they've got me recounting Cherokee stories again. Mikey had asked if there were any stories about turtles. So I'm telling them the story of Grandma Turtle. I told them of how the world was once covered by water except for one small island known as Blue Mountain. How the animals and people lived together and could understand one another.

I explained that the island was getting too crowded for all of them. That the creator told them to gather mud from the bottom of the ocean for him, so that he could make new land for them. I altered my voice and used my hands to act out the speakers like Daddy had taught me.

Grandma Turtle offered to go, but the others wouldn't let her because she was so old. I described the failed efforts of Duck, Otter, and Beaver. How that Grandma Turtle finally got to go. That all the people and animals waited for seven long days before they saw anything. That on the seventh day, they found Grandma Turtle's body. And the mud between her front feet.

I acted out rolling up that mud into a ball and throwing into the sky. How that Grandfather took that mud and made what is known as Turtle Island. How Grandpa Buzzard used his wings to make the mountains and the valleys.

And there is absolute silence in the Battle Shell. "That's it? She just died?" Mikey asks, turning back to us, his face in a pout.

"Yes, Mikey. She cared so much for her people and friends that she was willing to die." I lean into Raphael. "She was old. In her mind, it was worth it."

Donnie's face is skeptical, "Don't tell me that you believe that stuff, Annie."

I laugh and shake my head, "No. I think they're more like Aesop's Fables. You know, be careful what you do, or this might happen?"

Don nods, "Okay. I've got one more question."

"What's that Donnie?" I tilt my head like _di hi_ does.

He smiles, "Are there any more Cherokee stories like that one?"

Several hours later and we're finally pulling into the guys' garage. "WE'RE HOME!" Mikey yells, forgetting (_again_) that doing that kills my ears. I growl in irritation since it's too late to cover my ears. _Okay, I've had enough!_

Before Mikey even realizes what happened, I have him pinned. And I've found his tickle spot.

"Uncle, Uncle!" Mikey cries, laughing so hard that he's almost crying.

"Not a chance, Orange."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	36. Permission

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter, syzygy101, and TMNTluckygirl for reviewing!_

* * *

><p>"Absolutely not, Leo!" I almost yell at my blue-masked brother. "No way is she going out again. Not after the last time!"<p>

"Last time was a freak thing Raph," my eldest brother answers, his voice completely calm. "And Annie wasn't the only one to get shot. If she hadn't acted, we would have lost you," Fearless almost winces at the memory.

"We now what to look out for now. It won't happen again."

"You can't be sure of that! They could've all decided to carry guns" I clench my fists. I will not put Annaleigh (_my girl_) in danger.

That's when Annaleigh literally materializes out of nowhere. "I don't think so babe," her voice suddenly speaks at my side, nearly scaring me out of my shell. She wraps her arm around my waist. "Sorry."

"That's okay," I say, meeting her eyes.

"Ahem." Both of us turn guiltily to Leo, who's smirking. "I thought we were discussing the patrol tonight. Unless you want me to leave you two alone?"

Annaleigh blushes. I've never seen her go this red before. I really want to kiss her. But, Fearless is right.

My girl clears her throat, "As I was saying. You're right, Leo. We know that they'll be carrying guns. But not as much as Raphael thinks," she gives me a sidelong glance. "And now that we know what to look for, I'll be able to pinpoint the gunmen before they even pull their weapons out."

"And how the shell are you going to do that, Wildcat?" I pull away from her and fold my arms over my chest, just glaring at her.

Annaleigh rolls her eyes at me. "I'm a mutant too, Brooklyn-Boy." She must be really irritated with me. She hasn't called me that in ages. "My sense of smell is very acute. That's how I knew that PD had the gun before I even saw the Glock. I could smell the gunpowder," she winces, scrunching her noise like she's smelled something awful.

I stand my ground, "That doesn't matter. You're still not going out there. And that's that."

She tenses and glares daggers at me. _Uh oh._ I've really done it this time. But I really don't care. Annaleigh is _not_ going on patrol. Over my dead body.

"On second thought, Leo, I actually think it would be best if you did give us some space," she says, looking at my brother and ignoring my frown.

Fearless looks just a little bit uncomfortable, "Um, okay. We won't leave until you've... figured this out."

Annaleigh nods and, without even looking at me, marches straight toward the elevator. And she doesn't look at me until we're in the garage and she's leaning against my bike.

She sighs, and pinches the bridge of her nose, all trace of her anger gone. I'll never understand how she does that. It's like she's got some kind of switch for her emotions.

"_Di hi_."

"Yeah, Wildcat?"

She finally meets my eyes, "Why are you so against me going?"

I unfold my arms and lean against my bike next to her. "I don't want you to get shot again. You're my girl. I don't want to see you in a hospital bed again."

She leans against me and I wrap my arm around her. "I know that, babe. But you also know that I can protect myself. That what happened was just a freak thing." She puts her hand on my cheek, making me look at her, "I don't want you to go out either. But I'm not going to stop you. Why _are_ you trying to stop me?"

_Here we go..._ Here's the dilemma. If I tell her now... I know she likes me. But... Oh shell. Might as well get it over with.

"If anything happened to you... I don't know what I'd do. I love you too much." There. I said it. Whatever happens now...

Annaleigh kisses me. Totally catching me by surprise like she had that first time. "I love you too, Raph." Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realize that this is the first time that she's called me 'Raph.' The rest of me is too caught up in the fact that she actually just said what I thought she just said.

"But, you need to understand something. It's never going to be safe for me here. I won't be able to stay. Not until we've stopped the FOH and their new friends. And I need to be there. They're _my_ enemies, after all," she ends in a whisper.

"They hurt my girl. That makes them my enemies too, sweetheart."

She smiles, and kisses my cheek. "We'll just have to face them together, then." Her smile turns playful, "If it makes you feel better, I won't leave your side. That's a promise."

"I can live with that."

Then Annaleigh giggles, like she's remembered something. She pulls something out of her jacket pocket. My girl is always wearing long sleeves and pants. No matter how many times I've told her not to be ashamed of her scars, she still tries to hide them.

I recognize what's in her hand, "Isn't that Mikey's camera? How the shell did you get it?"

Annaleigh giggles harder, flipping her long, beautiful hair over her shoulder. She'd better not cut it. Ever.

"I plucked it off his belt when I pinned him." She dangles it in front of me. "And I must say, Mikey takes good pictures," she says coyly. _Aw shell. I'm gonna kill him!_

"What of?"

She snorts, "You know very well what. You and me hanging out. And the last one is when I kissed you right before we left the farm."

She laughs even harder at my irritated expression, taking a few minutes to catch her breath. "Don't worry. He doesn't have any copies. And the only reason why I haven't deleted them is that I wanted some pictures to keep of us. Of _you_."

Did I mention that I have the best girlfriend in the whole entire world?

Annaleigh must have picked up on my mood. "So I take it that I have your permission to go tonight, _di hi_?"

I roll my eyes, muttering under my breath. "Yeah, you do, Wildcat. But I still don't like it."

* * *

><p><em>Yeah, I know. I went really sappy with this one. Don't worry, though. The action's coming soon!<em>

_Please R&R.  
><em>


	37. Scrabble

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

* * *

><p>I quickly change into my new suit that the guys had given me for my birthday. I'd had to throw the old one away since I couldn't get the bloodstains out. And there was no way I could have patched that hole. Daddy was the whiz with the needle. Not me.<p>

I miss him so much. I know it's been two months, but I still expect to turn around and see him smiling at me. I've even caught myself sniffing my juice a few times to make sure that Daddy didn't spike it with Tabasco. Which earned me a few weird looks from Mikey. I'm not going to explain that to him, though. No way am I giving the orange-masked turtle any ideas. He's got enough of them already.

As I braid my hair back, I find myself wishing that I hadn't missed Daddy's funeral. I'd gotten shot the night before (right after the viewing), so I was stuck in a hospital bed that day. One of dad's co-workers at the university had recorded the ceremony for me, but I can't bear to watch it like that. I'd had Donnie throw the DVD away when the guys came to check on me the second night I'd spent there.

As I join the guys in the main room, I'm distracted from my dreary thoughts. I can't help but smirk. Raph's still upset that I'm going with them. He's at his punching bag again. I decide to let him blow off some steam before I go over to him. I do love him, but I also understand that sometimes he just needs his space. What really surprises me is that he hasn't gone after Mikey yet. But I can tell that Mikey knows that's coming soon. He's sitting on the couch holding Klunk and eying his red-masked brother warily, which is what amuses me.

Leo's running through some practice moves, so I decide not to bother him. He'll finish when he's ready. Which is usually right on time for patrol anyway.

Splinter's watching his 'stories.' I still can't believe he likes watching soaps. And I know better than to go over to him right now.

April and Casey took Shadow home. They're getting their basement room ready for me to move in. Since I'm now dating Raphael, Splinter had pointed out that it wasn't proper for me to sleep on their couch in the Lair. Daddy would have been of the same mindset, so that doesn't bother me. Red, of course, doesn't like it. He's afraid something will happen to me if I leave his sight. I'm at least grateful that he's not going to smother me anymore. I do admit that I'll miss waking up to his grumpy 'good morning,' though.

Donatello's tinkering again, Zeb laid out at his feet. I decide to go bug the purple-masked turtle. I haven't spent as much time with him as I have with his brothers.

I'm very careful to make sure that my steps can be heard as I walk up to him. I've already snuck up on him accidentally while he was working before. I don't want a repeat of what happened. I do not want to be cleaning up spare parts again.

"Hey Annie," Donnie says, not even bothering to look up from his project. It looks like one of their shell-cells, just a little smaller. "Did you and Raph kiss and make-up?"

I blush, grateful that he's not looking my way. I'd forgotten that Don can be almost as mischievous as Mikey sometimes.

"Yeah. But that's not why I'm bugging you." He looks up at me, brows raised. "Just being curious. What're you working on?"

"Oh," he turns his attention back to the shell-cell look-a-like. "I'm working on a shell-cell." I'd guessed right. Don continues, "It was supposed to be part of your birthday present since you lost your phone too. But I wasn't able to finish it on time. Some of the wires were glitchy."

I smile. "That's okay Donnie. I really appreciate it." I hug his shoulders from behind. "Let me guess, it has a built-in tracking device?"

His face flushes, "Ummm... Yeah." He looks over at his red-masked brother uncertainly. "But it was Raph's idea. Not mine," he says, just a _little_ to quickly.

I laugh at that, "It's okay, Don. I don't blame him. Or you, for giving him the idea," I smirk at him and he lowers his head, completely abashed. Which only makes me laugh harder.

"Sorry Donnie, I'm not laughing at you," I say when I finally manage to gain control.

He smiles at me. "It's okay. I understand." He tinkers a few more seconds before snapping the back of the phone's case on. "Happy late Birthday," he says, handing me the phone. "And thanks for that book."

"Thank you and you're very welcome." I beam at him, playing with my new phone. I lost my last phone the day I got shot. Somehow, it had managed to slip out of my pocket. Hopefully, I wouldn't have the same bad luck with this one. Don spent way too much time on it for me to loose it.

"It's got a clip on the back," Donnie points out, as if he's reading my thoughts. Which I know isn't true. Donatello is just that way. He's usually one step ahead of everyone else when it comes to technical stuff. He's already put all of their numbers in for me. And he's even assigned speed dials. I can't help but giggle at the fact that he's put Raph as number one.

"Hey Donnie?"

"Yeah Annie?"

"Have you ever played Scrabble?"

He cocks his head like I've seen Leo do several times. "No, but I've got the basic idea of it. Why?"

I clip my new cell to my belt and flip my braid over my shoulder. "Well, Daddy and I used to play it a lot. And I was kind of wondering if you'd like to play it with me sometime." I smirk, "Since there's no way in hog heaven that I'll be able to guilt Raph into playing it."

Don laughs at that, "I'd love to, sis."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	38. Ambush

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_You gotta love when your laptop dies when you're halfway done typing a chapter. I had to start all over again! Next time, I'll make sure to keep my computer charged._

* * *

><p>As I follow my brothers to the Battle Shell, I can't help but notice that something's bothering my girl. Annaleigh's usually walking right beside me, sometimes holding my hand. But right now... Right now she's lagging behind, her blue eyes locked on the ground. I slow down and wrap my arm around her shoulders when she catches up to me. Annaleigh just stops and lays her head on my shoulder, absolutely quiet. Which, again, is not like her.<p>

"What's wrong, Wildcat?"

She sniffs, "Nothing. I just still can't believe that Daddy's gone." I wrap my other arm around her and pull her close. I have no idea what I'm going to say. But I guess I don't need to say anything. 'Cause my girl just kissed my cheek. "Thanks, _di hi_," she whispers. I guess she just wanted me to hold her. After two months, I'm beginning to understand her. I think.

"You two lovebirds coming or what?" Mikey calls from the truck.

I glare at him and Annaleigh giggles. She pulls out of my arms and grabs my hand firmly in hers. "We'll get him later, Raph. I've got a plan," she whispers, smiling mischievously.

"What kind of plan?"

She puts her finger on my lips, "Later babe."

An hour later and we're now at the cemetery. Against our better judgement. I can tell that Leo's really not happy to be here. His shoulders are tensed and both of his katanas are in his hands. Just like my sais are in mine. In fact, all of us have our weapons drawn. Except for Annaleigh.

Somehow, she had managed to talk us into bringing her here. Guilted us into it, more like. Mikey said it was because she has me wrapped around her finger. I clocked him really good for that one. He's still rubbing his head.

Anyways, the reason that my brothers and I don't want to be here is that the FOH (and now the PDs) know who Leopard really is. And they also know that her dad's buried here. The perfect setup.

Except for the fact that no one's here but us. Still, I can't help but feel that something's not right. And by the way Annaleigh jerks upright and makes her way cautiously to me... Something's really wrong. I've never seen her this jumpy.

But I don't have time to think on it. 'Cause, suddenly, we're surrounded. "Oh crud."

* * *

><p><em>Stupid! How could I have been so stupid!<em> I only now just heard footsteps. Footsteps of a lot of people trying to be stealthy. I can't smell them. They must be waiting downwind.

The guys had tried to tell me that coming to my dad's graveside was a bad idea. Being the idiot that I am, I'd thought nothing of it. Surely they wouldn't be waiting here. Daddy was buried two months ago. I had thought they would have given up waiting for us here. How could I have been so dumb?

I make my way carefully back to Raph, and then we're surrounded by at least forty FOH. Make that FOH _and_ PDs. Including Hun. How could a man that big hide so easily?

"Do they have any guns, Leopard?" Leo whispers from my right. I shake my head. I don't smell any gunpowder. But that doesn't make a difference anyways. There's too many. And the only reason I can think of as to why they didn't brings any guns with them... They must want us alive. Over my dead body.

Hun gives the signal, and we're swamped. It takes all my strength to keep from being knocked to the ground. In the commotion, I suddenly realize that I've been separated from Raph. As a chloroform-covered rag is clamped to my face, the last thing I hear is my turtle frantically calling my name from a distance.

* * *

><p>I was so relieved when Annaleigh shook her head at my question. No guns. That means we can take these guys. We've faced worse.<p>

As the gangsters attack, my brothers and I face them head-on. Annie at Raph's side. It isn't long before we manage to break away from them and make it to safety. Not until I hear Raph calling for Annie, do I realize that something's not right. She's not here!

By the time the four of us make it back to the cemetery, the goons are long gone. They must have had get-away cars. _Shell! Why wasn't I paying attention? _I'd known that Annaleigh had never faced that many enemies before. But, in the heat of the battle, I'd completely forgotten. Now, all that we have of Annaleigh are her silver nunchuks, which Raph just tucked into his belt. I've never seen my hotheaded brother go this quiet. I can see the fear in his eyes. He's also furious. I would be too, if my brother had left my girlfriend behind.

The only one who doesn't seem to be worried is Don. He's fiddling with his shell-cell. That's when I remember that Annie has hers. And that it has a tracking device in it just like ours. Hopefully we can catch up before it's too late!

* * *

><p><em>Special thanks to The Silent Hunter for the inspiration for this little chapter.<em>

_Please R&R._


	39. Brother

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

* * *

><p>The first thing I hear as I wake are two people arguing. They sound furious. It takes a few minutes for me to realize that they're arguing about me.<p>

"I still say that we should kill them," the first voice says angrily as they're walking away. It's my old FOH buddy. But I can't make out Hun's answer. They're too far away now. About two flights of stairs away.

_Wait. Them? What is he talking about? They got only me. Unless... Oh no!_

I open my eyes and sit up too fast. My head starts to spin. It takes several seconds for the feeling to stop. I look around the makeshift jail I find myself in, my shoulders sinking in relief. No turtles. But I'm not alone either.

From another cell across the little hall, a young man, maybe five years older than me, is watching me with bright green eyes. And I mean _bright green_. I've never seen anyone with eyes that color before. But that's not what has me hissing. He looks like me! His skin is the same pale cream as mine. And his hair the same light auburn. Even his facial features are just a masculine version of my own. His scent is even similar to mine!

His emerald eyes widen when I hiss. I get the feeling that he knows me. That I knew him. A long time ago.

A name comes to the forefront of my mind and I whisper it, hoping that in doing so my memory of him will come back, "Aaron?" But, nothing. Just the infuriating feeling that I definitely know him.

"Annie?" he splutters, his eyes turning to cat-like slits in surprise. "But how...? You're dead! We lost you! How...? What happened?"

I shake my head, my dizziness gone but a full-blown headache coming on as I try to remember.

His voice softens and his eyes turn back to normal. "You don't remember me, do you Annie?" his says, his expression completely dejected.

I don't want to upset him further, but I can't stand it. I have to know, "Aaron, _who_ are _you_?"

He looks back up at me, "I'm your big brother."

That's when it clicks. I remember something. A nine-year-old Aaron holding my three-year-old hand as we run to safety. Aaron urging me and someone else named Amie to keep going, that we're almost there. Me, falling and blacking out.

Aaron sees the recognition flash across my face. "Where have you been, Annie?"

I'm about to answer when I hear almost silent footsteps.

* * *

><p>We've been following Annaleigh's signal for almost an hour now. I can't believe I've managed to stay under control for that long. I want to scream. I want to pound something into <em>dust<em>. But I can't. My girl needs me to stay focused. Her life is depending on it.

Mikey grips my shoulder firmly and I look back at him from my spot on the roof-ledge overlooking the PDs old hideout that we and Angel rescued Casey from a few years back. I'd thought they'd have abandoned the place, being that we creamed them there. But I guess not.

Mikey's expression is just as worried as I feel. He squeezes my shoulder, "We'll get her back, Raphy. We got Casey out of there. Well get Annie too. She'll be fine."

Sometimes, I'm really glad that he's my little brother. I know he's just saying that to make us both feel better, but I find that I'm much calmer now. We can do this.

Don speaks up from beside me. "What ever it takes, bro."

We're about to climb down the fire escape when Leo signals us to stay put. We watch quietly as Hun and the older FOH guy get into an armored truck. They both look furious. Must be arguing about something. Then, they just drive off. I guess they hadn't been expecting us to find their little hideout this quick.

When we reach the alleyway, I do something that is not like me. I hang back and let Leo lead. I'm not going to mess this up. We've got only chance to make this work.

My bros and I sneak past most of the gangsters, who are just lazing about now that their bosses are gone. This is gonna be easier than I thought.

As soon as we pass the big room, Donnie takes the lead, his shell-cell in his hand. Following Annaleigh's beacon. Which just leads us to a small storage room. My girl's mask, utility belt, and phone are sitting on a table. Donnie grabs them as I clench my fists and grind my teeth in frustration. Where is she?

Leo speaks up softly, "Maybe she's in one of the cells downstairs?" She'd better be. If they moved her somewhere else... Let's just say that the goons that are still here won't know what hit them.

We make our way down the two flights of stairs, knocking out a few guards. And I see my girl. I run to her cell, not even paying attention to the other prisoner as I pick the lock on her door with my sai. As soon as the door is open, Annaleigh launches herself at me. I wrap my arms around her and hold her tighter than I ever have before.

"Raph, babe, can't breathe," she gasps. Mikey chuckles and I loosen my grip. But I don't let go. I'm not going to let go for a long time.

"Annie, who are they? What's going on?" the other prisoner asks. I look over to him and my eyes widen in surprise. He looks like Annaleigh. From my bros collective gasps, I can tell that they see it too.

I look at my girl, but she's looking at him, "It's okay, Aaron. They're here to get us out." She looks back at me, and then my bros. "Guys, we have to get Aaron out of here too." She meets my eyes, "He's my brother."

Don immediately moves to Aaron's cell and starts picking the lock. Mikey watching over his shoulder.

Leo cocks his head at Annaleigh, "I thought you said that your siblings are older?"

My girl gently pries my arms off her, but my hand latches onto hers. Like I said, I'm not letting go. "Those were my dad's kids. Aaron's my real brother. I just didn't remember him until tonight."

The other cell door swings open and Aaron walks hesitantly over to Annaleigh, very aware that I'm glaring at him. He may be my girl's brother, but I have no idea what he's going to do. Just because he's her family doesn't mean anything.

But I don't need to worry. Her pulls her into a hug, with me still holding her hand. "I can't believe you're still alive," he whispers.

"Uh, guys," Mikey says nervously. "We need to go."

Leo nods his head, "Mike's right. We've been here too long."

As soon as my bros' backs are turned, Annaleigh kisses me softly on the lips as she pulls her nunchuks from my belt. I don't care that her brother's watching us. I have my girl back. And I will not let her out of my sight again.

Annaleigh grabs Aaron's hand with her free one, giving him a look that clearly means that she'll explain later. I release my grasp on her to follow behind them. I don't want anyone sneaking up on us again.

But even with all of us on the lookout, a few FOH manage to get the drop on us as we climb the stairs. Aaron and and Annaleigh both growl threateningly. Like the rest of us, my girl has her weapons in her hands this time. But Aaron's hands curl into fists and he lunges at the goons, knocking them out easily with his bare hands before we can even reach them. _Shell_. It must have taken a _lot_ of people to get him in that cell.

Thankfully, we're able to sneak by the rest of the thugs. Not until we're at least two miles away, and in the Battle Shell, do I relax. Annaleigh firmly wedged between me and her wild brother.

Aaron has his arm wrapped around her shoulders, but Annaleigh's firmly clasping my hand in her lap, playing with my fingers. "Well, it's later, Annie. Care to tell me what's going on, sis?"

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	40. Victory

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101 and The Silent Hunter for reviewing!_

_Wow! Forty chapters! Thanks to all my readers! You guys are awesome!  
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><p>I'm still playing with Raphael's hand as I answer my brother, "Aaron, these are the Hamatos." I turn my head to Leo, who's sitting across from me, "This is Leonardo. He's the oldest and the leader." I nod to the front, "Donatello's driving. He's the genius. Don's got to be the smartest person I know." Without even being able to see his face, I know the purple-masked turtle's blushing. "And that's Michelangelo in the orange. He's the jokester." I turn and meet my red-masked beau's amber eyes. "And this is Raphael. My boyfriend." This has got to be the first time I've ever called Raph that. It sounds weird, but I can't help but realize how <em>right<em> it feels.

"So, you've known them for awhile then," Aaron speaks up. I look back at my brother and shake my head.

"I met Mikey and Raph four months ago. I didn't really get to know all of them until about two months ago. But it feels like forever. They and their father were the first mutants I've met that I could trust. Aside from you and one other."

Aaron's eyes are on Raphael's hand that is still firmly clasped in mine. "That explains how you two got together so fast, then," he says, smirking.

I blush, burying my face in Raph's shoulder. Completely certain that my turtle is glaring at Aaron. Raphael's never taken kindly to cracks about our relationship. He's too serious about me to even think of joking about us. I would not be surprised if he were to pop the question the next time we're alone. And I already know what my answer will be. Yeah, I know that we've only been together for two months. And that we _just_ told each other that we love each other. But after all we've been through (almost losing each other, for one), we've gotten really close. I've even told him all the little details of my life that I haven't spoken of to anyone else. Bad things that had happened to me that I'd never even told my father. Things that still haunt me.

My big brother chuckles quietly. Even his laugh sounds like mine. He must be looking at Leo now, though, "So, Leonardo. I take it that your father is the same as you guys. How did the five of you survive so long without being wiped out?"

I look up from Raphael's shoulder to see Leo looking at my brother with just a hint of mistrust on his features. And I can't help but agree with him. We all saw how viciously my brother fought. He'd been completely out of control. If he hadn't managed to knock those FOH out, I was sure that he would have killed them. And that scared me. I mean, I do love Aaron. But it's been a long time. He's changed. It's obvious that he never had the same kind of upbringing that I had. I don't think he even had a chance. I want to give him that, but I'm still a little anxious.

"No," Leo answers Aaron's statement first. "Our father isn't like us. His mutation happened the same way as ours, though. But he's a rat, not a turtle. As to how we survived for so long," he raises his brows, "I think it's best that I let him tell you."

Aaron nods, his expression thoughtful. "But what about you sis?" he asks, turning back to me. "Amie and I thought you had died. How did you manage to escape?"

I shake my head, "I don't know. I don't even remember what we were running from." I scoot closer to Raphael, releasing his hand so he can wrap his arm around my waist. "All I remember is waking up in an alleyway with an old homeless woman watching over me," I finish quietly.

Raphael picks up on my mood easily. Sometimes, I swear that he's emphatic. At least when it comes to me. "Our dad knows the rest of that story, so you'll just have to wait until we get to the Lair, Aaron," Raph says, his tone indicating that the matter is closed. I want to kiss him again. But that will have to wait until we get home. I don't want to embarrass my turtle.

Ah, Mikey. You can count on him to diffuse an awkward situation. Said turtle snickers, "Who's Amie? She your girlfriend, Aaron?"

Well, I thought he'd lighten things up. Aaron's head whips toward Mikey and he growls menacingly. Yes, I've hissed at Mikey before. But only once. And, actually, it was directed at something he did, not _at_ him. I've definitely _never_ threatened any of them the way my brother's now threatening the orange-masked turtle. Immediately, before any of the other turtles can react, I grab Aaron's arm and squeeze it _hard_. He turns back to me. And I glare at him, "Don't you _ever_ do that again. Or I _will_ knock you into next week," I say, my voice dangerously low.

His green eyes widen in surprise. "Okay," he says hesitantly. He then glares again at Mikey, who whimpers. I tighten my grip in warning. Only releasing his arm when he looks back at me.

I hold his gaze as I answer Mikey. "No, she's not, Mike. I think..." my forehead furrows in confusion and concentration. "I think Amie's our sister." My blue eyes meet my brother's green ones uncertainly.

Aaron nods at me, his features relaxed now. "Your twin, actually."

An hour and a half later and we're in the Lair. I've already introduced Aaron to Splinter, who's now telling my brother our stories in his room. As we wait, I had decided to pull out the Scrabble game that April had loaned me when we got back from the farmhouse.

Somehow, Don, Leo, and I had managed to talk Mikey into playing. Raphael had refused as I knew he would. So my turtle's sitting on the couch, watching us and playing with my braid as I lean against his legs.

The score is as follows. 121. 95. 90. 88. All four us are staring at the orange-masked turtle, completely dumbfounded as he does the stir-the-pot-of-chili. Or 'Victory Dance,' as Daddy and I had called it. How in God's green earth did that little monster _beat_ Donnie? And by _twenty-six _points too?

Apparently, Michelangelo is a _lot_ smarter than he acts. I don't think I'll _ever_ underestimate him again.

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><p><em>Don't worry, they'll be answers about Aaron and Amie soon.<em>

_Please R&R._


	41. Wide Awake

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_And 50 reviews! You guys are just plain amazing!  
><em>

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><p>After what happened tonight, I was not willing to let Annaleigh out of my sight. Even if she was just going to be at April and Casey's. So, she had suggested that we all camp out in the living room. Sensei and Aaron would not be joining us. Splinter, because sleeping on the floor would not be good for his joints. And I don't think Aaron likes being around a lot of people. My bros and I are getting out the sleeping bags as Annaleigh talks with him. I guess she's just trying to catch up with him. And I'm keeping a close eye on them both. I still don't trust him.<p>

But everyone else seems okay with him now. Donnie had pointed out earlier while they'd played Scrabble that Leatherhead's rages had been a lot more dangerous than Aaron's. And Annaleigh, to our astonishment, told us that she'd met our alligator friend once, the same day Master Yoshi took her to the Utroms.

But how come Leatherhead had not remembered her? She'd told us that they'd met just once (before she'd gotten her nunchuks) and that LH knew nothing of her abilities. He'd been just a kid himself then. Mikey really shocked her when he had told her that Leatherhead lives not too far from us. That conversation ended with a plan to go see our big friend. After Mikey won the game (still can't believe that happened by the way), Aaron had come out of Sensei's room and pulled Annaleigh aside.

I'm distracted by Mikey, who's pestering me about what movie I want to watch. When I look back to where my girl and her brother had been standing, they're gone. I turn around just in time to see Aaron disappear into Leo's room. But there's no sign of Annaleigh. Or Zeb, for that matter. I'm about to panic when I hear the sound of running water and Zeb literally shoots out of the bathroom, Annaleigh right behind him. "Quick, someone catch him!" she yells.

I catch Annaleigh's arm when she comes near me, pulling her to a stop. "What's going on, Wildcat?"

She shakes her head, and pulls away from me. "I need to give him a bath," she calls over her shoulder as she tries to corner her dog.

So, for almost an hour, the five of us are trying to corner one very fast, very nervous, forty-five pound Australian Shepherd. Why the shell did Splinter agree to let the mutt stay here?

But Annaleigh and Mikey are thoroughly enjoying themselves. Both of them are laughing so hard as they try to tackle the scared mutt, that Aaron comes back out of Leo's room just to see what's going on. We must look like complete idiots.

Finally, I manage to grab Zeb by his collar as he tries to slink past me. He tries to pull away. "Sit," I snap, irritated with him. And for some odd reason, he listens to me.

Annaleigh trots over to me, panting. "Zeb must really like you, babe. He doesn't even listen to _me_ when water's involved."

I roll my eyes. "Wonderful," I say sarcastically. My girl laughs and kisses my cheek. Leo's door closes again. Aaron must really not like company that much. Annaleigh frowns.

"You missed my mouth," I whisper so that my brothers can't hear. Trying to cheer her up.

It works. Annaleigh barely manages to keep her laughter under control, "Help me with Zeb, and I'll give you a proper kiss, _di hi_," she whispers back.

"You got a deal."

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><p>It's got to be well past midnight. All five of us are curled up in our sleeping bags. All of the turtles are sound asleep. Not me. It had taken me a while to fall asleep in the first place, what with me worrying about Aaron. He'd told me how hard his life had been. Amie, who has unusual control over her abilities, had actually managed to get into a community college in Albany. Where she's at right now. But Aaron had not been able to keep his cat-like abilities under control. He'd been attacked so many more times than me.<p>

Even after I'd managed to fall asleep, there was no peace for me. With everything going on, my old nightmare of Uncle Yoshi cropped back up again. Except for this time, it's different. It's not Uncle Yoshi's body laid out on that floor. It's Daddy's. And Aaron's body is lying next to his. A three-year-old Amie crying beside my four-year-old self. I had jerked awake, sobbing silently.

Raphael's snores from right beside me calm me somewhat. But I can't get back to sleep. I scoot closer to him and lay my head on his chest. His arms wrap around me. "Wildcat?" he asks drowsily.

"Shhh, go back to sleep, babe," I whisper, my voice breaking.

His arms tighten around me, "What's wrong, Annaleigh?"

"Nothing, _di hi_," I say. "Go back to sleep."

"Not a chance. Not until you tell me what's bothering you," he says gently. I imagine that Mikey's jaw would drop if he could hear his hothead brother now.

I tell Raphael about my nightmare. He kisses my forehead, "It wasn't real, sweetheart. Everything's okay." And before I know it, I'm telling him all that Aaron had told me and all that I've remembered about my life before my blackout. It isn't much, but I have to get it out.

Both of us are completely unaware that Aaron's wide awake in Leo's room, listening very intently.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	42. Defending

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

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><p>I'd finally managed fall asleep. Only after Raphael had assured me that everything would be okay at least a dozen times, of course. I don't know what I'd do if I'd never met him. He makes me feel so much safer than I've ever felt before.<p>

I wake to the sound of someone stirring. I lift my head to see Leo beginning to perform his katas. I decide to join him, kissing Raphael's temple lightly before I get up.

Leo nods to me as I join him. We're barely fifteen minutes into our workout when Aaron storms out of Leo's room. The slamming door makes me jump so bad that I almost fall. I would have, if Leo hadn't caught me.

The slam of the door also wakes the other three turtles and Splinter. Who, along with Leo, are all watching my brother closely. The way that Aaron's carrying himself... He looks furious. But why? Just last night, he'd seemed fine. Almost content.

Then it hits me. The ugly look on his face and the way he'd turned away when I'd kissed Raph's cheek. The way he'd stormed into Leo's room. He doesn't trust the guys. And he's furious that I do.

Aaron marches over to me and grabs my upper arm so hard, I almost flinch. Almost. If I had, I'm sure Raphael would have tackled my brother. My red-masked beau is already watching Aaron closely with narrowed eyes.

"Can we talk privately?" Aaron whispers through gritted teeth.

I nod my head. "Okay," I barely manage to answer. His sudden change in attitude has completely thrown me off.

As I lead him toward the elevator, I send Raphael the most reassuring look that I can. I don't need him to lose his temper at Aaron right now. I need to calm my brother down, not infuriate him further.

As soon as we're alone I turn to him, raising my eyebrows pointedly. He releases my arm, but his face is still hostile.

"How dare you trust that animal with our secrets?" he growls.

So much for my staying calm. I growl right back at him, "Raphael Hamato is _not_ an animal. He's the love of my life." I narrow my eyes at him, "And if you _ever_ call him an animal _again_, then you can just leave."

What happens next completely shocks me into silence.

Aaron pulls his arm back and I think he's just going to turn to storm off. I'm proven wrong when the back of his hand smacks my face, knocking me to the floor.

"That's enough!" Leo's voice sounds from the direction of the elevator. Aaron turns back to him and the blue-masked turtle moves to quickly put himself between my outraged brother and me. Both katanas unsheathed.

"You are not welcome here anymore," Fearless continues, his voice even more dangerous than it had been the first night that I had stepped into the Lair.

Aaron's green cat eyes narrow further. But when he speaks, it's directed at me. "Fine, trust them, Annie. They'll only end up hurting you like all those others."

_He's_ the one who hurt me. I can't believe I'd trusted him. It's Miami, all over again. But this time, it's my own _brother_.

He glares at Leo one last time before turning around and heading out the garage door.

I sniff quietly and Leo sheathes his swords, turning to me. He crouches over me, rubbing my back gently, "Annie? Are you okay?"

I shake my head. If I say anything, I'm sure that I'll lose it. Leo gently pulls me into a sitting position, gasping quietly when he sees my face. I don't pay him any attention. I just curl up with my arms wrapped around my knees.

Leo wraps his arms around my shoulders and I find myself latching onto my _real_ big brother.

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><p>I'm about to follow my girl and her brother when Leo shakes his head at me, mouthing that he'll go. I figure it's better if he does. Leo might be able to help Annaleigh reason with her wild brother. I don't trust myself right now. Already, my hands are curling into fists.<p>

After about five minutes, I give up on waiting. I hadn't liked the look on Aaron's face earlier. I have a bad feeling that he'll hurt my girl. I don't think he cares that Annaleigh's his sister.

What I see when I reach the garage completely catches me off guard. Leo is kneeling beside Annaleigh with his arms wrapped around her as she cries into his plastron. Aaron is nowhere to be seen.

I run to them and take my girl from my brother. "Leo, what happened?"

Fearless shakes his head, frustrated, "I don't know. I only saw Aaron hit her face."

"WHAT?" I'm so furious, I'm shaking. As gently as I can in my infuriated state, I put my hand under Annaleigh's chin to make her look up at me. She won't meet my eyes, but I can clearly see the dark bruise that is starting to form on her right cheek.

I hold my Wildcat tighter as she starts to sob harder. "Where's Aaron now?" I ask, my voice carefully controlled. I don't want to upset Annaleigh further.

Leo's expression hardens, "I told him to leave. I have no clue where he went. And I really don't care." Leo's face becomes concerned as he rubs Annaleigh's back. "We need to have Sensei check her face."

If Aaron ever shows _his_ face around here again... I can't guarantee that I won't lose my temper. I _will_ rearrange his face.

"H-he c-called you an a-animal," Annaleigh sobs. "I c-couldn't l-let him d-do th-that."

_Shell. _He'd hit her for defending _me_. I look up at Leo, my pained look mirrored on his face. I kiss my girl's head softly, "It'll be okay, Wildcat. I won't let him near you again."

Fearless adds his two cents, "_We_ won't allow it."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	43. Sister

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter, OriginalMeTrueMe, and, syzygy101 for reviewing!_

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><p>Eight months since Aaron had hit me and disappeared. We've heard nothing of him since.<p>

And the FOH went completely underground. Even Hun's disappeared. I've forgotten how many times we've combed the city. And we still haven't found a single trace of them in all that time. Except for the lower PDs like Dragon Face. And even they don't know what's going on. Angel hasn't even been able to find anything through her old friends in the gang either.

I know Raphael's relieved. So are Don, Mikey, Angel, Leatherhead, and the Joneses. But Splinter and Leo think that they're just laying low, waiting for the right time to act.

I agree with Sensei and Fearless. The FOH went AWOL before. They're up to something again. Something big.

I wish I wasn't working right now. I want to call Amie, see what she thinks of all this.

Aaron had given me Amie's number and address the night before he took off, before he'd heard me confiding in Raphael. And I've been talking with her for about four months now. She's a complete polar opposite of Aaron. Amie had never believed that I'd died. And she didn't even skip a beat when I told her about Raph and his family. I mean, my family.

Speaking of that. Remember when I said that I wouldn't be surprised if Raphael popped the question? Well, he actually did. Five months ago. Completely shocked his brothers. Especially Mikey. I'd never seen the orange-masked turtle go so still. Which had only made Raphael bust up. I'd never seen my red-masked beau laugh so hard either.

If it had been up to me, I would have married him that day. But Sensei talked us into waiting for about a month. A week after our small family wedding, I'd started talking to my sister.

So, all in all, my life's a lot better than it was. Except for a sense of foreboding that won't let go of me. I keep looking over my shoulder, expecting to be attacked any second. Jumping at shadows. And of course, Mikey had taken advantage of that. I love our little brother to death, but seriously! I swear, I'm going to strangle him one of these days. Maybe even before my husband does.

On top of all my worrying, I haven't been feeling well either. I don't know what's wrong with me. Like last week, when I had been watching a now toddling Shadow while April was making garlic bread. Which is my favorite, by the way. But, for some odd reason, the smell had made me so sick. I don't get it. None of my family does either.

Except April. And what she thinks is so far-fetched... Well, I may as well just humor her and go to the stupid (if there was a Cherokee word for 'stupid' I'd so use it right now) doctor anyway. Ape won't let up if I don't. But I'm not going to tell Raph or anyone else about it. It's just pointless.

Two hours after my appointment and Zeb and I are waiting at the bus station. It's the start of Christmas break and Amie's coming to spend the entire two weeks with us. This will be the first time I've seen my sister in eighteen years. Not since we were three.

I know it's her the moment she steps off the bus. Aaron wasn't kidding when he said that she's my twin. Amie is an exact copy of me. The only difference is her hair, which is cut short. I mean _really_ short. She looks like a pixie. As soon as she sees me, she runs and hugs me. And, naturally, both of us start crying.

She pulls away from me and we get a good look at each. Neither of us can stop smiling.

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><p>Since Aaron had acted the way he had, you can understand why I'm still not completely comfortable with my sister-in-law staying with us. The first time that Annaleigh had called her, after we got back from our little honeymoon at the farm, I'd insisted that she put her phone on speaker. My wife hadn't liked that, but at least she'd understood.<p>

My wife. It still feels weird sometimes. I mean, I'm not even nineteen yet. And I'd never imagined finding a girlfriend, let alone marrying her. But Annaleigh had shown up... and the rest's history. I can't imagine anything different.

Right now, I've got more important things on my mind besides Amie and how lucky I am to have Wildcat to myself. Annaleigh's been sick a lot in the past month. And not even Donnie can figure it out. I'm really worried about her. And even though she's got Zeb with her, I still don't like her being at that bus station without me. I know I'm being overprotective, but I've got a good reason. I've almost lost her _twice_. Three times, if you count what Aaron might have done to her if Fearless hadn't intervened.

Which is why I'm at my punching bag again. I've got to let it all out somehow.

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><p>"Something's different about your voice, Nani," Amie says, using the nickname she used to call me when we were babies as she admires my ruby ring. "And your expression. You're practically glowing. Let me guess." She looks back at me and smiles, "You're pregnant, aren't you?"<p>

I grin wider. When I'd stepped into that doctor's office, I'd been so sure that I wasn't. That I couldn't be. Imagine my shock when he'd told me that I was. Now, I can't help it. I'm too excited.

I smile back at her and nod. I'm too overwhelmed to speak. And I don't have to anyway. Amie practically squeals, "Congratulations, sissy!" She hugs me so tightly that I can barely breathe. "When's your due date? Have you picked any names out yet?"

I laugh and finally manage to find my voice, "Late July. And no, I haven't. I just found out today for crying out loud!"

"Does your husband know yet?"

I shake my head, "Not yet. I didn't tell him about the appointment 'cause I didn't think anything would come of it. Since we're so different." Amie nods, her expression clearly showing impatience. "I figure that I'll wait until Christmas Eve to tell Raph. I'll tell everyone else Christmas morning."

Amie beams, "Sounds like a plan to me. The perfect Christmas present!" Then she smirks, "If you can manage to hide it for a week, of course."

I mock glare at her. "Of course I can. I got away with a whole lot more with Mom and Dad then you ever did."

Amie groans, rolling her eyes, "Don't remind me."

This time last year, I would have believed that it would only ever be _e do da_ and me. I really wish that he could be here. Daddy would have loved this. All of it. My sister, my new family. My husband and our baby.

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><p><em>I figure that Annie deserves a huge break. What do you think?<em>

_'E do da' is Cherokee for 'papa.'  
><em>

_Please R&R._


	44. Pictures

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!  
><em>

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><p>My bros are all waiting in the garage for my girl and her sister. But I'm still at my punching bag when Zeb zips past me to the couch. I don't pay him any attention though. I don't stop until Annaleigh wraps her arms around my waist from behind. Nearly scaring me out of my shell again. I don't know why she loves doing that.<p>

She laughs when I jump. "Gotcha again, babe," she whispers, kissing my cheek. "And Amie's here."

She lets go of me as I turn around. As soon as I see Amie right behind her, my eyes widen. If her hair wasn't so short, I would have thought that she was my Annaleigh.

Amie laughs at my reaction, sounding _exactly_ like her sister. But when she speaks, her accent is different. New Yorker instead of Floridian. "So. You're my brother-in-law then?" She mock glares at me, "You been taking good care of my sister?"

I roll my eyes, "Why wouldn't I?" I offer her my hand, being polite like my wife had told me to be just this morning.

Amie just looks at my hand and rolls her blue eyes, "Oh, come on now. A handshake, Raphael?" She comes right into my personal space to hug my neck, catching me completely off guard. She backs up to wrap her arm around Annaleigh's waist. "We're family now, so no more handshakes. Capeche?"

After watching Amie for several days, I find that I can finally relax. She's nothing like Aaron. And she's even more laid back than Annaleigh. I've never seen anyone react this calmly to me and my family. Not even my wife.

It's Christmas Eve, and Mikey's in the middle of telling Amie, who's playing with Shadow on the floor, about how he won the Battle Nexus Championship. And I'm glaring at him. It's been several years since that. I'd been hoping that he'd forget. But, no. I should have expected him to show off.

I'm about to cut him off, but Annaleigh grabs my hand and starts playing with it. Completely distracting me as she traces random patterns over my fingers. Something's different about her. She seems... I don't know. Happier. Must be having Amie around.

I get the feeling that someone's watching my wife and look up to see April looking at her intently. What's all that about? Annaleigh meets the red-head's gaze and mouths something. It looked like she was telling her '_later_.' _What the shell is going on?_

I notice that Leo and Donnie caught the exchange too. Both of them are looking at me with their brows raised. I shake my head slightly and shrug my shoulders. I'm just as clueless as they are.

I turn back to my wife, "Wildcat. Something's up. What's going on?"

"I promise I'll tell you later, babe," she says, smiling gently.

"How much later?"

She laughs at that. "Tonight. You think you can wait that long, _di hi_?" she asks playfully.

This woman knows exactly how to drive me crazy.

Several hours later and Sensei finally suggested that we all go to bed. Since Mikey will be waking us up before the sun, of course. Amie heads to Leo's room after Casey and April take Shadow home. Said turtle's been staying with Mikey. I don't know how Fearless does it. When April was staying with us after the Shredder burned her home, I'd about strangled my orange-masked brother.

I follow Annaleigh to our room, putting my sais on the nightstand and getting into bed as she changes into her pajamas. As soon she's done, she just sits, Indian style, on her side of the bed. Which surprises me, since I'd fully been expecting her to curl up next to me.

She giggles at the puzzled look I give her as she takes my hand again. "Don't tell me you've forgotten already, babe. It's later, remember?"

I sit up, "Oh yeah. So, what _is_ going on?"

She scoots close to me so that she can lean her back against my chest, still playing with my hand which is now in her lap. "Well, you know that I haven't been feeling well lately."

I wrap my other arm around her, "About that. You've really got me worried. I'm about to send you to the doctor."

"I've already been."

That shocked me, "You have? Why the shell didn't you tell me?"

"'Cause it wasn't the kind of doctor you're thinking of."

I stiffen, "What do you mean?"

"I went to an OB/GYN the day I picked Amie up from the bus station."

"What the shell is that, anyway?" Annaleigh's really got me on edge now.

And she knows it. She kisses my palm, "Easy babe. I'm fine. An OB/GYN is the kind of doctor women go to when they think they're..." she trails off, laying my palm on her abdomen.

I'm so stunned that I can barely breathe. She twists her head around to look at me.

"You... think... you're... pregnant?" I barely manage to choke out. "But... I thought that wasn't possible! Unless..."

Annaleigh's expression is gentle. "I _am_ pregnant. And the baby's yours, _di hi_. 'Cause I would never to do something like that to you." She smiles. "I love you too much," she finishes, using the same phrase I had used the first time I told her that I loved her.

I shake my head, trying to clear it. "How far along are you?"

"Two months."

"Only seven months left then." I pinch the bridge of my beak. "Sweetheart, we've only been married for four months. And I'm only eighteen. I'm not ready for this."

"Neither am I, babe. I wasn't planning on this either." She takes a shaky breath, "When I stepped into that office, I was convinced that we'd never have a baby. And I was okay with that. When the test came back positive, I was just as stunned as you are right now. And when I saw the pictures..."

"Wait just a minute. They took _pictures_ of our baby?" I can't believe how fast I've gone from just barely being able to stand kids to being protective over my baby. _Shell._ Never saw this coming.

Annaleigh gently puts her finger to my lips. "Shh. It's okay, Raph. Our baby's just a cluster of cells right now. It'll be a little while before he even looks like a baby."

That calms me somewhat. _Wait a sec._ "He?"

My Wildcat beams at me, "I'm thinking that our baby will be a boy." Her smile grows playful, "Maternal instinct, I guess."

"Okay," I say, taking a deep breath. "I got just one question then."

"Yeah, babe?"

I smile at her, "Where are those pictures?"

Annaleigh's face lights up as she kisses me.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	45. Queasy

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_Oh, and I have a poll going on for what the baby's going to be. It's on my profile. Please vote!  
><em>

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><p>Even though I no longer have to worry about Raph taking the baby news badly, I still didn't sleep well. I've been feeling queasy all night. After sleeping only about three hours, I decide to just give up. I look at the clock. It's a little after four. Mikey'll probably be up in about an hour.<p>

Very quietly, I slip out of bed and head out the door, looking back at my snoring husband before I close the door. Raphael had been so excited that he'd stayed up most of the night with me. He's even picked out a few names for our baby already. I have to admit, I would have expected that kind of reaction from Mikey. But I'm not complaining.

I'm not even paying attention as I head to the kitchen. All I'm thinking about is getting some of Splinter's herbal tea to calm my stomach. So I don't even see that Don's at his Lab.

"What are you doing up, Annie?" I jump so badly that my heart's in my throat. I turn around and glare at him, cat-eyed.

"Don't do that, Donatello!" I manage to pant out, laying a hand over my heart.

He chuckles softly from his desk chair, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay, Donnie." I continue toward the kitchen. "I was just going to make me some tea," I say over my shoulder.

I hear him getting up to follow me. "Is your stomach bothering you again?" he asks, his voice full of concern.

I nod as I pull the kettle out and turn on the stove, "Not much, though. Just enough to keep me awake."

Don pulls the tea leaves out for me, "Have you thought about going to the doctor yet?"

I giggle and he gives me a weird look. I shake my head, "Sorry. It's just that Raph asked me the same thing last night." I fill the kettle with water, "It's a moot point anyway. I already went."

His brow furrows as he takes the kettle from me and sets it on the stove, "When was this?"

"A week ago, a couple of hours before I picked Amie up from the station." I could have sworn that I saw the purple-masked turtle blush at the sound of my sister's name. But when I look again, his color's normal. Must have been imagining it.

"And?"

I give him a look, "And what?"

"Well, how did that go? Were they able to find out what's wrong?"

"Yes, and nothing's wrong with me."

His expression becomes confused. "Then why have been you been so sick?"

"That'll have to wait until everyone else is up, Donnie. I just want to get it out all in one go, if you catch my drift."

"I can understand that. Does Raph know whatever it is?"

I nod my head. Thankfully, I manage to keep from smiling. "I told him last night. I figured it would be best if he knew first. You know how badly he reacts when he's told something at the last minute."

"You're right. How'd he take it, by the way?" I know what Don's up to. He's trying to trick me into telling him what's going on. Whoever came up with the phrase 'It's the silent ones you have to watch out for' had gotten it right.

"You'll just have to wait, Don."

"If I didn't know that it was impossible, I would have thought that you think you're pregnant." _Oh crud._ "This whole thing isn't some kind of joke, is it?"

I shake my head, barely managing to keep myself from reacting. Donatello's way too smart for his own good. If I say or do anything else about the matter, he'll put two and two together.

So, instead, I fill up an extra glass with cold water. "I think it's about time that Mikey gets what's been coming to him, don't you agree Donnie?"

His eyes tell me that he doesn't want to let this go, but he smiles anyway as he fills his own cup. "I concur."

Both of us make our way silently past the loaded Christmas tree to Mikey's room, Zeb on our heels. As soon as I open the door, Leo's head lifts up from his place on the floor.

"What are you two doing?" he asks drowsily. "Mikey's not even awake yet."

"That's the beauty of it, bro," Don says from behind me. "If he was, then this would never work."

That's when Fearless notices the water glasses in our hands. He gets up quickly. "At least let me pin him for you."

Our prank on Mikey had worked like a charm. The only downside is that his scream woke up everyone else in the Lair. Raphael was the first to make it to Mikey's room. As soon as he sees his drenched brother and my and Donnie's cups, he busts up laughing. Splinter rolls his eyes before heading to the kitchen to check on the tea kettle, which is whistling now. And Amie high-fives Donnie. Who is _definitely_ blushing. _Oh boy._

"It isn't funny," Mikey pouts, which makes me giggle again.

I sit on the edge of his bed and start bouncing lightly. "Why the long face, bro? I thought you would have been excited to get woke up on Christmas?" I finish mischievously.

"Some wake-up call," he mumbles, pulling his covers over his head.

Amie yanks the covers back off of him. "Come on, Mike. I think Annie's got something important that she's been wanting to tell us."

Don's expression is thoughtful as he watches me. Leo and Mikey both whip around to look at me.

"Annie?" Fearless asks. "Is it about last night?"

So he'd noticed my silent exchange with April.

I nod my head, "Yes. But you all have to come out to the Great Room first." Raphael wraps his arms around me. Trying to encourage me, I guess. For some odd reason, telling the family feels a lot harder than telling him. Splinter, I had not needed to tell. He'd figured it out on his own like April and Amie had.

As soon as they're all settled, Splinter comes into the room and hands me a cup of tea, winking at me before he goes to his seat. Mikey's already got a present in his lap and Amie and I can't help but giggle at him.

Leo shoots our youngest brother a disapproving glance before looking at me, "What were you going to tell us, Annie?"

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	46. News

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_Don't forget to vote on the poll on my profile! I need you wonderful readers to help me decide if the baby's a boy or girl!  
><em>

* * *

><p>As I ask Annie my question, I can see the anxiety in her eyes. Raph rubs her arm gently, and she leans into him more. "Okay, well... ummm. Well, Splinter already knows and so does Raph, but I figured that..."<p>

Mikey moves to sit on her other side, "You can tell us, sis. I promise that we're not going to bite your head off."

Annie giggles and I can see Donnie watching her closely. He's probably already figured out what this is all about and is just waiting for our sister to confirm it.

"I can tell them if you want me to, Wildcat," Raph offers. But Annie just shakes her head.

She takes a deep breath and just plows ahead, "Well, what do the three of you think of... well, about being uncles?"

"What are you trying to say, Annie?" I ask. I think I know where this is going, but I'm still not quite sure.

That's when Donnie speaks up, "I thought you said that this wasn't a joke, Annaleigh."

Raph gives him a look before rolling his eyes, "She's got pictures if you want proof, Genius."

"Pictures?" I ask. Mikey and I are looking back and forth between the two of them, completely clueless. Pictures of what?

Amie puts her face in her hands, "Oh, you guys are hopeless." She gives a small chuckle before looking over at her twin. "You might want to spell it out for them, Nani."

"Guess I'll have to Mimi." Annie takes another deep breath, "Well, Raph and I... Well... I'm pregnant."

Absolute silence. Except for Sensei and Amie, who are laughing at our dumbfounded expressions.

Donnie's the first to find his voice. "You're absolutely certain?"

Annie nods her head and pulls a few somethings out of her pocket, which Amie takes from her and hands to Donnie. Who drops them. What the shell's gotten into him lately?

Mikey picks them up, squinting as he looks at the pictures, "What the shell am I supposed to be looking at anyway?"

Annie barely holds back a laugh, "That's the baby, Mikey."

"Sure doesn't look like a baby to me." He shrugs and hands me the pictures.

As I look at them, Raph answers good naturedly,"That's 'cause the kid's still got some growing to do, Chucklehead."

I look up at him and smirk, "I thought you didn't like kids, Raph."

My red-masked brother glares at me, "This is different, Leo. Those other kids are someone else's brats."

Annie smacks him softly on the arm, "Raphael Hamato!" But she's laughing with the rest of us. Mikey leans over and hugs her.

"How much longer before the baby gets here, huh?" he asks, more excited than he was about the presents.

Annie's too busy laughing, so it's Donnie who answers, looking up from the pictures in my hand, "From the numbers at the bottom, I'd say about seven months."

I do a quick count in my head, "So, the baby will be here in July." I look up at Annie, who's watching me and Donnie closely, still waiting for a reaction. I smile at her and she beams back. "Congrats, you two. Never thought this would happen."

Raph smiles back at me, "You and me both, Fearless."

Donnie moves to the back of the couch to hug Annie from behind, "Sorry I didn't believe you, sis. And congrats."

She turns to kiss his cheek, making him blush. And Amie giggles. Mikey glances at me and Raph and rolls his eyes at the two of them.

"Sora, I take it that Mrs. Jones already knows?" Splinter asks.

Annie nods, "Yes. She was the one who talked me into going to the doctor in the first place. Good thing, too. Otherwise, we would have found out a _lot_ later," she finishes, placing her hand on her stomach.

Sensei nods, smiling, "Yes. The both of you have much ahead of you. We will all need as much time as possible to prepare for the baby." He makes his way over to Annie who leans forward to hug him.

"So. We still have to tell Casey and Angel?" Raph asks.

Amie shakes her head, "Nani told me that April will take care of that before they get here. Annie just wanted to tell your brothers herself."

"That just leaves Leatherhead, then," I say.

"Uh guys?" Mikey asks from his new spot near the tree. We all turn to look at him. "Now that we all know about the baby... Can we open our presents? Please?"

Both girls crack up. "ADD much, Mikey?" Amie barely manages to get out.

"More like ADHD," Annie says. She kisses Raph's cheek, "Like you said, babe. He belongs in a nuthouse."

"I resent that," Mikey practically whines.

* * *

><p>I've been on the run for eight months. I still can't believe that my sister chose that animal over <em>me<em>. Her own flesh and blood!

She's even _married_ to him now, if I'd heard right. He's not even a true mutant. Not like us. Of course, neither of my sisters see it that way. Hence the reason why Amie and I went our separate ways the day she turned sixteen five years ago.

But I've got bigger things to worry about than my family problems. I've found out where the FOH and Hun went to. And I've managed to infiltrate their hideout, pretending to be a new initiate.

What's worse, is that I managed to overhear some of their plans. And they're not pretty. Even though I'm not on good terms with my siblings, I've got to warn them somehow.

The only thing is that I know that it won't be long before my cover's blown.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	47. Tripped

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_Don't forget to vote on my poll! I need your help to decide if the baby will be a boy or a girl!  
><em>

* * *

><p>It's late May. Five months since Christmas and I'm seven months along. And the baby is just as active as his father. Most nights, I can barely sleep 'cause he's moving so much.<p>

Like tonight. I toss and turn, trying to find a comfortable position. But the baby refuses to be still.

"Annaleigh?" Raph asks groggily. "What's wrong?"

_Shoot!_ I hadn't meant to wake him. "Nothing, _di hi_," I whisper. I gently place his hand on my belly so that he can feel the kicks. "Your kid just won't let up. I think he's trying to be nocturnal."

Raph snorts, more awake now. But when he answers, he's whispering. We'd found out three months ago when the baby first started kicking that he'd stop whenever Raphael spoke. "Like his dad, huh?"

I groan, "I hope not. I want to be able to get at least _some_ rest."

Raphael starts laughing and the baby freezes. _Thank goodness._ I sigh, snuggling closer to my husband.

Who's not at all happy with himself right now. Very rarely has he been able to feel our baby move.

"I think he likes listening to your voice," I say to placate him. "He knows that it's his Daddy talking."

"Why doesn't he do that when you talk, Wildcat?"

I shrug, laying my head on his chest, "Maybe 'cause he hears me all the time?"

Raph snorts, "Probably." Then he starts singing a Japanese lullaby that Splinter used to sing to him and his brothers when they were little. And before I know it, I'm fast asleep.

Several hours later and I'm not happy at all. Raphael and Leonardo are going out on patrol. Just the two of them. And I don't like it one bit. I'm trying to talk them into taking their brothers too.

"I'd feel better if all of you go," I say, trying to guilt them into it. No such luck.

Leo rolls his eyes, "Annie, it's been over a year since Hun and the FOH disappeared. I doubt that they'll be coming back."

I fold my arms over the top of my belly, cat-eyed, "The FOH disappeared for almost _twenty_ years the last time, Leonardo!"

Raphael rubs my shoulders from behind. "We'll be okay, Wildcat. We'll be careful." I know he's trying to calm me, for the baby's sake. But I don't want to be calm.

I turn my head to him and raise an eyebrow, "You? Careful?"

Mikey snorts from the couch, "She's got a point, Raphie."

My red-masked turtle glares at him, "This ain't any of your business, Bonehead."

I growl, frustrated with my husband, "But he's right, Raphael."

Leo's finally figured out why I'm so upset. He squeezes my shoulder gently, "I'll keep an eye on Raph, Annie. He'll be fine."

"Fine." I glare at him, "But you better bring my husband back in one piece. I mean it."

I can practically hear Raphael rolling his eyes as he hugs me from behind. "Nothing's going to happen to me, Wildcat. If it makes you feel better though, I'll call every hour. Okay?"

I guess this is as much as I'm going to get. I admit defeat. "You'd better." I kiss him, holding onto it a little longer than necessary.

Raph finally pulls away. My husband looks at our blue-masked brother, "Maybe we can hold off on that patrol one more night, Fearless?"

Leo rolls his eyes as Mikey, Don, and Splinter laugh. "We've already held off once, Raph. Annie will still be here when we get back."

_Darn it, Leo!_ _I'd almost had him!_ "Midnight," I call after them as they head for the sewer entrance. "And no later!"

Leo chuckles, "Okay sis."

"Hey, Annie," Mikey calls from his seat.

"Yeah, Mike?"

I can tell by the look on his face that he's trying to cheer me up, "Ya know, I didn't notice it until just now. But..."

"But what, Mikey?" I ask, my impatience very clear in my voice.

"Well, you really don't look pregnant. More like you stuffed a basketball under your shirt."

I mock glare, making my way over to him to smack him upside the head. I don't even remember the step that my belly blocks from my view until it's too late.

"Annie!"

* * *

><p>"Is it just me, or is your wife getting clingy?" Leo asks about thirty minutes into our patrol.<p>

"Well, Casey did warn us about that. And I can kind of understand where Annaleigh's coming from."

Leo raises his brows, "You? Understand?" he asks, mimicking how my wife had questioned me earlier.

I roll my eyes at him. "As crazy as it sounds, Fearless, yes." I pause as we jump over an alleyway. "Think about it. The first time that she went on patrol with us-"

"She got shot," Leo interrupts me. "But I don't see why that would-"

"You didn't let me finish. I got shot at, too. Would have been killed if she hadn't been there. Remember?"

Leo nods, "Oh yeah. I'd almost forgotten about that."

I roll my eyes again, "Great to know ya care, Fearless."

"Ha, ha. So, she's afraid that the same thing might happen again, then."

"And she knows that she can't be there to save my shell. Got it in one."

My phone buzzes. It's Mikey. What the shell would he be calling about?

"Yeah, bro?" I answer as Leo and I both stop.

"WHAT?" I try to listen carefully, but Mikey's too agitated, "Slow down, Mike! What happened?"

I breath a sigh of relief when he explains, "So, she's okay then?"

"Can I talk to her, please?" I ask, as Leo listens patiently, concern on his face.

"Okay, then. Just tell her that I'll be there as soon as possible."

It's not until I hang up do I realize that I'm shaking.

"What's wrong, Raph? Did something happen to Annie?"

"Yeah. She tripped. Don says that she and the baby are okay, but Mikey said that it was a very close call." Even my voice sounds shaky. _Shell._ Of all the things to happen. I should have stayed home. _Why the shell didn't I stay home?_

"We'd better head back, then."

I'm about to turn and follow him when I notice the graffiti on the alley wall below. And my breath catches in my throat.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	48. Respite

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

_Please make sure to vote on my poll! Since it'll be you, my wonderful readers, who get to decide if the baby's a boy or a girl._

* * *

><p>As soon as Leo and I make it into the Lair, I stop just long enough to figure out where Annaleigh is. She's on the couch, talking with Splinter and Mikey as Donnie bandages her hands. I almost run to her.<p>

Splinter moves to intercept me, "Calm down, my son. Your wife is fine."

"What happened Sensei? Why is Don bandaging her hands?"

"Sora could not see a step and tripped. She managed to catch herself," Splinter squeezes my arm gently. "She only scraped her palms, Raphael. She will be fine."

"Thanks, Sensei." Splinter nods and heads to his room. And I make my way over to my girl.

I sit next to her on the couch, not paying Donnie, Mikey, Zeb, or Klunk any attention, "You okay, Wildcat?"

She nods, "Other than feeling a little stupid, I'm fine."

"It's my fault," Mikey says sullenly from her other side. "I was trying to cheer her up. I think I distracted her a little _too_ much."

Annaleigh sighs, "Michelangelo. We've been over this. I knew the step was there. I just wasn't paying attention. That doesn't make this your fault. So you'd better stop blaming yourself."

"Sensei said that you missed the step? How'd you do that?"

My wife gives me a look that clearly says 'Do you have to ask?' as she places a bandaged hand on her belly. "Hmmm... Let's see... Maybe because I can't see my own two feet 'cause of _your_ kid, babe?"

My bros laugh and I find that I can finally relax. "Don't ever scare me like that again, Annaleigh Sora Hamato."

"Can't promise that. Maybe you'll stay next time, Raphael Hamato?" she asks playfully.

"Oh, get a room," Mikey says.

And, quick as a flash, Annaleigh smacks the back of his head before I can. "That's for earlier, too, bro."

I'm about to ask what she's talking about when she suddenly puts a finger to my lips, grabs my hand, and places it on top of her belly.

"Is the baby kicking again, Annie?" Donnie asks. She nods.

"Good. That means he'll be fine, too."

Don's phone rings and Mikey chuckles, "Looks like your girlfriend wants to talk, bro."

Genius blushes, "She's not my girlfriend."

"Not yet, anyway," Annaleigh says teasingly.

"Better get a move on, bro. Can't leave Amie hanging," I whisper, making him go scarlet. I don't want to talk out loud. This is the longest that I've ever felt my kid move. Mikey had said that the reason why the baby quits moving when I talk is because I sound like a Neanderthal. I'd chased him halfway across the Lair for that before my wife had intervened.

Leo, Mikey, and Annaleigh laugh as Don disappears into his room. The day after New Year's, when Amie had left for Albany, she'd written her number on Don's hand. Completely catching him off guard when she'd told him that he'd better call her. They've been talking for months. And she's coming back down when my wife gets closer to having the baby. Something tells me that they'll hook up then.

"You know what this means, don't you?"

"What, Mikey?" Leo asks, scratching Zeb's ears.

"You and me will be bachelors forever, bro."

My wife cracks up.

And that's when I remember the graffiti that I had seen on the way back here. "Annaleigh," I say, and the baby stops moving.

"What's wrong, babe?" she asks, sobering quickly as she picks up on the change in my voice.

"I think that the FOH is back." She stiffens and Mikey gasps.

"What do you mean, Raphie?"

"We saw some of their graffiti in that alleyway near the cemetery," Leo answers our orange-masked brother.

"Uh, guys?" Mikey says. "That was there_ way_ before we rescued Annie and Aaron." He rolls his eyes at our puzzled looks. "I saw it one time when I was hiding from Raph."

Annaleigh relaxes, but her expression is still troubled. I know that she thinks the FOH is still coming back. And that it scares her. Well, they'd better stay the shell away from her and our kid if they know what's good for them.

That's when Donnie comes back out of his room.

"What was Amie calling about, Don?" my wife asks, trying to distract herself, I guess.

"Oh, she was just calling to say that she got transferred to Julliard. She'll be moving to New York in about two weeks."

"Seriously? Why didn't she call me first?" Annaleigh asks, her voice indignant.

"She did. But your phone's in your room. And I was still bandaging your hands."

"What's she going there for, bro?" I ask, wrapping my arm around my Wildcat.

"Performing Arts. Something about directing theater." Yep, he _definitely_ likes her. Usually, Don's _very_ specific. But when it comes to Amie, he's never been able to think straight.

"And to be closer to a certain purple-masked turtle, maybe?" Annaleigh says teasingly.

I've never seen Don go _this_ red. Even I didn't blush this much when I realized that I liked Annaleigh. 'Course, Donnie's always been a blusher.

Speaking of my wife. She yawns and then inclines her head slightly toward our room.

I stretch, "I'm going to bed. You coming, Wildcat?"

"Right behind you, _di hi_."

As soon as we get under the covers, Annaleigh curls up next to me, kissing me before laying her head on my shoulder. "Something's bothering you, babe."

"What happened to getting some sleep?"

I can hear her eyes roll, "I will. Once you answer me, Raphael."

"Nothing."

"I find that very hard to believe."

I wrap my arms around her. "It's just that... Every time I turn around, you get hurt. I should have stayed."

She's quiet for a minute. I start to think that she's fallen asleep when she responds quietly, "It's not your fault, _di hi_. These things will happen, even if you _are_ here. I'm a klutz, remember?" she finishes impishly.

I snort, "Yeah. I know, Wildcat. But it could have been a _lot_ worse-"

Annaleigh puts a finger to my lips, "But it wasn't, babe. I'm fine, besides my scraped hands and wounded pride. You need to quit worrying. The last thing you need is to be distracted. I don't want to lose you 'cause you were too busy worrying about me while you're on patrol."

"That won't happen."

"It better not," she yawns again. "Love you, babe."

"Love you too, Wildcat." She falls asleep quickly. But I stay up at least another hour, just watching her sleep.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	49. Stare

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101 and The Silent Hunter for reviewing!  
><em>

_Don't forget to vote on my poll. It's up to you amazing readers to decide what the baby's going to be. I've only got three votes so far, though. Come on, people.  
><em>

* * *

><p>I wake up to any empty room. Empty except for Zeb, who's laid out at the foot of the bed. Must have overslept. Oh, is my back killing me!<p>

"Morning Annie!" Mikey sings as he comes into my room, a breakfast tray in his hands.

"Hey, Mike. Umm... Where's Raph?" I ask sleepily.

"Sparring with Leo. Since you interrupted their patrol last night."

I roll my eyes at him. Then the smell of the food hits me.

"Mike, get that stuff out of here! Quick!"

"But, I thought-"

Too late. Moving as fast as I can, I take off past him towards the bathroom, barely making it there in time.

"You okay, Annaleigh?" Raphael's worried voice asks from right behind me. Of course I'm okay. I'm just throwing up again. Why wouldn't I be okay?

I end up dry heaving and find myself leaning against my husband's plastron as I try to catch my breath. Why can't my stomach behave?

Mikey comes to the door, minus the tray, "I guess that's two more foods she can't have."

I finally manage to speak, "What _was_ that stuff, Mikey?"

"Bacon and eggs."

I groan, leaning my head against Raph's shoulder as he runs a hand through my hair. "Wonderful. I'll be glad once this baby gets here. Maybe I'll be able to eat real food again."

Raph and Mikey chuckle. I just hiss, "That wasn't funny."

My turtle kisses my temple. "Sorry, Wildcat."

Mike follows as Raph carries me to the table, ignoring my protests. I'm pregnant, not paralyzed, for crying out loud! "Protein shake again, then," he states calmly

I eye my husband cautiously, "You're not planning on making it, are you babe? The last time you did, it tasted awful."

He gives me a look, and I giggle. Mikey laughs as he helps his brother get my stuff out.

Leo joins me at the table, "Another reaction, Annie? Casey told us that April never had it this bad."

I roll my eyes, "April isn't a mutant, Fearless. Smells affect me more, remember?"

"That's right. Sorry, sis."

I wince and his face instantly becomes concerned. "Do you need to go back?"

"No. I'm fine, Leo." I rub my belly gently. "It's not my stomach. I've never felt the baby kick that hard before. Wasn't expecting it."

"He's not even here yet and he's already like his dad, huh?"

"You have no idea. Where's Donnie and Splinter?"

"Talking to Amie in the garage." Leo continues, "Apparently, your sister decided to show up this morning."

"You mean Amie's _here_?"

"Been here for a while, Nani," my sister's voice answers from behind me, making me jump. She laughs and hugs my shoulders.

"What the shell are you doing here?"

"Donnie told me what happened last night."

"And you came all this way just because of that?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "What about your job?"

"Took the day off. Told my boss that my pregnant sister can't walk straight," she says, smirking as she sits next to me.

"You'd better not have," I glare at her while Leo laughs as he goes to the dojo area. Probably to meditate with Splinter. I notice that my husband and his other brothers are giving us our space too. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Donnie watching Amie from his Lab. He really, _really_, likes her. I've never seen him focus this hard on another person.

Amie shakes her head, "No, I didn't. Just said that it was 'Family Matters' and left it at that. I'd never embarrass you like that, sissy." She pats my belly, "Man, Nani. You're getting big."

I roll my eyes playfully, "Why thank you. Just what every girl wants to hear," I say sarcastically.

That's when Mikey comes over. "Specialty protein shake and toast on the house. Can I get anything else for you ladies?"

Amie chuckles, playing along, "A glass of water would be nice, dear sir."

Mikey bows and we both laugh. Raph makes his way over to us, rolling his eyes at the orange-masked turtle. I can tell by the look on my husband's face that he's about to ask if I'm okay.

"I'm feeling much better, babe," I say, giving him a look that clearly tells him that I love him.

Amie eyes me carefully, "You were sick again?"

I move her hand to the top of my belly so that she can feel the baby kicking, "Yeah. Apparently Raph's kid doesn't like normal food."

Said turtle rolls his eyes. He kisses my cheek and pats my belly too before heading to his punching bag, his expression troubled. Every time I get sick, Raphael spends a little more time at that thing. I know he worries about me and the baby. Especially after that miscarriage scare we had three months in. My husband had been on edge for days after it.

Several hours later and Amie and I are in the garage, waiting for the boys to get back from patrol. They should be back any minute now. Splinter's down below, watching his soaps. Again, _what_ does he see in those things?

We're talking about Amie's plans for Julliard and what Raph and I are going to name the baby when, suddenly, there's a loud knocking on one of the boarded up windows.

Amie drops into a defensive crouch and growls softly, motioning for me to hide. I crouch behind my husband's bike as she makes her way carefully outside.

"Annaleigh! Get out here! Quick!" she calls.

As soon as I step out the side door, I freeze in my tracks. Amie's crouched over what looks like a homeless guy. Must have collapsed after banging on the window. He's out cold. What's even more alarming is that he smells just like Aaron.

Amie rolls him onto his side and we both get a good luck at his face, hissing in surprise.

Bright green eyes snap open and stare blindly up at us. They close quickly as our older brother slips back into unconsciousness.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	50. Worried

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!  
><em>

_Don't forget to vote on the poll. You get to choose if the baby's a boy or a girl!_

_Fifty chapters! Yay! Thanks to you amazing reviewers and readers!  
><em>

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><p>The whole patrol went by quickly. Not a single problem. We busted a couple of druggies, knocked around some muggers. All in all, a pretty normal night.<p>

And not a single FOH in sight. Plenty of PDs, though. But just the lower end guys. And the ones that we managed to tie up still don't know anything about where Hun went to.

Something's going down. I don't like it. I'm already worried about my wife and the baby as it is. I don't need another thing to stew about.

Before Donnie even parks the Battle Shell, I get the feeling that something's not right. Amie is nowhere in sight and Annaleigh is leaning against my bike. I can tell by the look on my wife's face that something's shocked her. Did she and Amie fight? I really hope not.

As soon as the truck stops, I jump out and pull my Wildcat into my arms. She latches onto me.

"Annie, where's Amie?" Don asks from right behind me.

"You two didn't fight, did you?" Leo asks from beside us. Mikey just watches.

She shakes her head, "No, we're fine. She just went downstairs." I can tell that by the way she won't meet my eyes and by the way that she's shivering that something bad happened.

"And left you alone?" I ask. That is _not_ like my sister-in-law. She wouldn't just leave her sister alone for no reason. If it _was_ for no reason.

"Aaron's back."

That completely shocks us out of our shells. My brothers pull out their weapons and start heading to the elevator. If my wife wasn't clinging to me, I'd be one step ahead of them.

Annaleigh pulls out of my arms and moves to intercept my brothers with me right behind her. "Guys, no," she pleads. I've _never_ seen my wife beg before.

"Annie, I saw him _hit_ you." Leo says through clenched teeth.

She hugs herself. "I know. But he's hurt, Leo. Bad."

"How bad, Annie?" Mikey asks gently. My wife looks so fragile right now, so close to breaking. I try wrapping my arms around her again and she leans into me, sniffing. "Splinter s-said that he m-might not m-make it," she sobs into my neck. I tighten my hold on her, being careful of her belly.

I meet Leo's eyes. He's clearly torn between throwing Aaron out and doing the right thing. I hadn't realized that Leo hates my brother-in-law almost as much as I do.

Fearless sighs and sheathes his katanas. Mikey and Don follow his lead as he makes his way to the elevator.

Annaleigh's too distraught to even notice what they're doing. So I pick her up. But I'm not taking her down to the Lair. Not yet.

"Shh, Wildcat. It'll be okay. He'll be fine," I whisper, trying to reassure her. I settle on the ground, cradling her in my lap. She's still sobbing.

"Annaleigh. There's nothing wrong in crying. But going hysterical like this isn't going to help your brother." I rub her belly gently, "And it's _definitely_ not helping our kid." _Shell. Never knew I had it in me._ If only my brothers could see me now. Mikey would probably scream something about 'Invasion of the Body-Snatchers.'

She calms down somewhat, still crying softly. My wife places her own bandaged hand over mine, interlocking our fingers, "I kn-know, babe. I'm just s-so scared for him."

"I know, Wildcat," I say soothingly. "I felt the same way when the Foot almost killed Leo." I kiss her forehead, "But you can't lose it like that again, Sweetheart. It'll only hurt you and the baby."

She finally stops crying. But her voice is still shaky, "I can't lose Aaron, Raph. I don't think I can handle it."

"They haven't come to get us yet. That means he's still hanging on." I really don't want to comfort her about her brother. Especially since I want to strangle him myself. But Annaleigh needs me to keep my cool. She _and_ the baby both need me to stay calm. I can't believe how much having her around has changed me.

It's several minutes before her breathing is back to normal, "Can we go to him? Please, babe?"

"You sure you want to, Wildcat? You're not going to lose it again?"

"If I do, you can just take me to our room, _di hi_. But I _need_ to be with him."

"Okay." I help her stand, then pull myself up. Annaleigh wraps her arm through mine, leaning her head on my shoulder.

As soon as we step into the Lair, she starts to pull away from me. She's about to run to her brother, but I catch her. "Slowly, Wildcat. You don't need to trip again."

She nods and walks by my side to the couch, where Amie's tending to Aaron. Donnie hovering behind her.

Amie looks up, her face grim. "He's still the same, Nani. I'm surprised that he's even lasted this long." My wife's pixie of a sister looks close to losing it herself. That's when I remember that Aaron practically raised her.

"Take a break, Amie. Annaleigh and I can watch him," I say. Amie doesn't say a word, she just walks off toward the kitchen. I look at Donnie, motioning for him to follow her. "She's going to need you, bro," I say quietly. Genius nods, looking flustered.

As he makes his way toward Amie, Annaleigh sinks to her knees by the couch, taking her brother's big hand in her tiny one. "Aaron, it's me. It's Annie. Just hold on. 'Kay?" She stifles a small sob.

My wife probably wants some space, but I'm not leaving her side. If Aaron does wake up, I don't want him to hurt her. She's already almost lost the baby once. So, I stand over her for about an hour as she just talks to him, telling him about our wedding and how she thinks that our baby will take after me.

I place my hand on her shoulder, "Wildcat." She looks up at me. "C'mon. I need to get you to bed."

"But Aaron-"

"I will watch him, Sora," Splinter says from behind me. "And your brothers and sister will take turns watching over him as well. Your child needs you to rest." She nods, hugging Sensei before she pulls herself up.

I can tell that she's dead on her feet. So, ignoring her protests, I carry her to our room. I lay her on the bed, getting in beside her and pulling the covers over us. She lays her head on my chest and cries softly.

I just hold her. I have no clue what I'm going to say to her. But I guess I don't need to talk. 'Cause it isn't long before we both fall asleep.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	51. Insulted

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big Thanks to The Silent Hunter for reviewing!  
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_Please don't forget to vote on my poll!_

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><p>I wake up slowly, turning to greet my husband. But Raphael's not there. Not even Zeb's at the foot of the bed. <em>That's strange.<em> I get up and walk out to the Den, but no one's out here either. Not even Klunk. This is really weird. And I'm starting to panic.

The baby starts kicking and I place my hand on my belly gently, softly singing my and Daddy's Cherokee chant to calm him. That's when I notice the person lying on the couch. At first, I can't make out who it is 'cause it looks like they're wrapped in every extra blanket that we have down here. Probably Mikey. He must have stayed up watching monster movies and scared himself silly again. I sigh, relaxing. If Mikey's down here, then the others must be in the garage.

I walk over to the couch and shake him gently. But something's not right. He's _way_ too stiff. That's when the blanket falls from his head and I find myself staring at Aaron's dead face. I jump back in shock. The features flicker between Daddy's, Uncle Yoshi's, then back to Aaron's.

And then I'm looking at my husband's glassy, unseeing amber eyes. I scream.

"Annaleigh! Wake up!"

I toss, still screaming. "It's just a nightmare! Wake up, Wildcat!"

I snap awake and just start crying. Raphael wraps me in his big arms, pulling me into his lap, and I find myself holding onto him for dear life. He's alive. _Thank heaven!_

"Shhh, babe. It's okay, it was just a dream," Raph whispers, trying to calm me. "I'm here, Wildcat."

I manage to calm down somewhat, but I'm not letting go of him. Not for a while, at least.

"D'you want to talk about it, Sweetheart?"

I sniff, burying my face in his plastron. My voice is muffled as I haltingly tell him what I had dreamed about.

His arms tighten around me. "It's okay, Wildcat. I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here."

"Is she okay?" Don's voice asks from our doorway.

"She's fine, Genius. She just had a nightmare."

I look up and meet our purple-masked brother's concerned hazel eyes. "I'm okay, Donnie," I say shakily.

Then I remember my brother, "Is Aaron alright?"

Don comes in and sits on the edge of our bed, "He made it through the night. But," he takes a breath before continuing, "he's still unconscious." Seeing the look on my face, he quickly adds, "His vitals are much stronger though."

I look back at my red-masked turtle, "Can I go see him, babe?"

The skin around his eyes tightens. I must have really scared him, "Not until you calm down some more," he says gently. He looks at his brother, "Can you finish getting her breakfast, Genius? I don't want to leave her right now."

Donnie nods his head, "Sure. Toast it is." He chuckles at the face I make. "Unless you'd rather get sick again, Annie?"

I shake my head hard and both my husband and his brother start laughing. I lean more against Raphael, my ear to his chest. Just listening to his heartbeat.

"I'll be right back." Don looks at Raph, "I'll let everyone know that she's all right," he says before disappearing out the door.

"You sure you're okay, Annaleigh?"

"I'm fine. That just shook me up."

"Yeah, I know. I've _never_ heard you scream like that." Raphael takes a shaky breath, "I was in the kitchen when you started. Nearly scared me out of my shell. I'd thought you'd gone into labor. Or that someone managed to get into the Lair..."

I lean up to kiss him, holding onto it until I need to breathe. "I'm sorry, babe," I pant. "I guess everything just caught up to me."

"That's the last time I leave you alone," Raph says, rubbing my back. I just lean my head against his chest again. Continuing to listen to his heartbeat, just reassuring myself that he's still here. Our baby starts kicking and I lay my husband's hand on my belly, my hand firmly grasping his.

About an hour later, my Raphael finally releases me from his arms, sort of. He carries me out to the couch, setting me in the chair next to it. I don't protest this time. I definitely know that I've scared him.

I watch Aaron sleep for about another hour, sometimes singing. But mostly just talking to him.

I stop when Amie greets Donnie, who's at his Lab, with a quick kiss. My eyes widen in surprise. I'd known they'd get together sometime, but I hadn't been expecting it to happen now. Raph looks at me in confusion, then looks back to Don and Amie, who are now talking quietly.

"They're just talking, Wildcat."

"They were just _kissing_ a minute ago, babe."

Raphael's brows shoot up, "Seriously? Don's smoother than I thought." I giggle.

Mikey's camera clicks as Amie pecks Don on the cheek. I groan. _Michelangelo!_

My husband's face instantly becomes concerned, "You're not in pain, are you Annaleigh?"

I smile and shake my head, "No. I just heard a camera click."

"Mike's taking pictures of us again? I thought he was over that."

I roll my eyes, "Not of us, Raph. _Donnie and Amie_."

He's about to respond when Aaron groans from the couch. I slowly get out of the chair, mindful that Raphael's right beside me. Probably to pull me away, if something goes wrong. He's convinced that Aaron will hit me again. And I can't help but agree with him. I keep my distance. "Mimi, get your butt over here," I say.

"What's going on, Nani?"

Aaron groans again, his eyelids fluttering. Amie grabs his hand and he looks at her. Don comes up behind my sister and Raph motions to Mikey to get Splinter.

Aaron's completely oblivious of all of this. His green eyes meet Amie's blue ones as Raph moves me behind him. I wrap my arms as far around _di hi_'s waist as my belly allows.

"Amie?" Aaron says weakly. She hugs him gently.

"Good morning sleepy head," she says as calmly as she can. By now, Leo's also standing protectively in front of me and Splinter is by my brother's head, blocking me from view.

He coughs, "How long was I out?"

This is getting plain ridiculous. Aaron obviously is in no condition to take a swing at me. And it's best that he knows now, instead of finding out later. I step between my husband and Leo, right where Aaron can see me. "Most of the night, Aaron," I say gently. Raphael frantically tries to pull me behind him again, but it's too late.

"Annie?" My green-eyed brother gapes at me. "You're _pregnant_?" he splutters, eying my belly.

"Yes," I say calmly as Raphael wraps an arm protectively around me, holding the hilt of one of his sai with his free hand. "You'll be an uncle in about two months," I finish quietly.

"Annie Louisa Carter, how could you?" he says, his pained voice sounding betrayed.

"My name is Annaleigh Sora Hamato," I snarl, whirling around, and heading for the sewers. Raph right behind me. I will _not_ stand there while he talks about _my _husband and _my _baby as if they're trash. I won't!

My turtle follows closely for about five minutes, still giving me some space. But when I finally turn to him and he sees the hurt in my eyes, Raphael pulls me close. "I just want to get the heck out of Dodge, _di hi_."

"Where the shell are we gonna go, Wildcat?"

"April did say that if we ever needed a break that we could crash at their place," I say, trying to keep my voice light. I really just want to cry. I don't know why my brother's reaction is bothering me like this. I'd known that he'd say something like that. _So why am I so upset?_

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	52. Past

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!  
><em>

_Please make sure to vote on my poll! Do you think the baby should be a boy or a girl?_

* * *

><p>I know my wife wants to leave right now, but I'm not letting her crawl through a manhole. So that means going back through the Lair. And Annaleigh is <em>not<em> happy about that at all. I rub her back gently. I'm about to call Fearless and tell him to gag Aaron. That way my Wildcat and I won't have to worry about his mouth.

That's when Zeb comes bounding through the sewer towards us, Mike right behind him. I grab the mutt by his collar before he can knock my wife down. Mikey pulls her into a hug.

"You okay, sis? He didn't upset you too bad, did he?"

"I'm fine, Mike. I knew he was going to say that." My wife slowly pulls away from him, but holds his hand to her belly. Trying to use the baby to distract him. She _really_ doesn't want to talk about what happened.

But Mike's not going to be deterred. "But it still hurt you, Annie. He shouldn't have done that."

"I know that, Michelangelo! And I _don't_ want to talk about it. I just want to get the shell _away_ from him!" Mike's eyes widen in surprise. Annaleigh's never snapped at him like this. He pulls his hand away from her.

I sigh. "Wildcat, calm down," I say firmly. Never thought I'd lived to see the day that _I_ would be the one telling _my_ _wife_ to calm down.

Instantly, her expression becomes horrified, "I'm so sorry, Mikey!" She hugs him. "I didn't mean to snap."

"It's okay, sis. You're under a lot of pressure." He kisses her temple, "Anything I can do?"

"Yeah," I say. "You can take Zeb back into the Lair. Find some way to distract Aaron while I get Annaleigh to the garage. Get Amie to stay with her, so I can pack her things."

"Where are you guys going?" Mikey asks, taking Zeb from me.

"Casey and April's," Annaleigh says. "Until Aaron cools his head. I'm not going to put up with him if he's going to talk about you guys and the baby like that," my wife finishes, clenching her teeth. From one extreme to the other. _Shell. _Casey wasn't kidding about those mood swings.

As Mike starts heading back, I squeeze her shoulder, "Take it easy, babe."

"I'm trying to Raph. I really am. But when he acted like our baby was trash-"

"I know, I wanted to punch his lights out too. But like I said last night. Our baby _needs_ the both of us to stay _calm_. Breathe."

She giggles. "Never thought I'd hear you say that, Raphael." She kisses my cheek.

"Why the shell do you keep missing my mouth, woman?"

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><p>As soon as Annie stalks off, so does Amie, holding my hand firmly. I have no choice but to follow her to my room, out of Aaron's sight. "A-are you okay, Amie?" I ask. I don't know why I stutter around her. And for some reason, she told me that she likes it. Go figure.<p>

"You know I'm not, Donnie," she says, sitting on my bed. I sit next to her and tentatively wrap an arm around her shoulders. This is still new to me. I have no clue what I'm doing.

But I guess I'm doing something right, 'cause Amie wraps her arms around my waist, laying her head on my shoulder. I find myself kissing the top of her head before I even know what I'm doing.

She sighs, "I just wish Aaron could see how wonderful you guys are. He's been so set on _true_ mutants our whole lives."

"True mutants, Ames?"

"Human mutants. People who are just born different. And you know what the weird thing is, Don?"

"What?"

"_We're_ not even true mutants! Our dad was just one of Shredder's experiments who managed to escape." She's about to continue, but what she just said doesn't make sense to me.

"But I thought you were! True mutants, I mean. Annie told us that the Utroms even ran tests on her, but-"

"But they didn't find anything. That's because my siblings and I are second generation mutants. The Utroms wouldn't have found anything different about her because nothing was done to us. Just to our father."

"That does m-make sense in the scheme of things," I say, almost to myself.

Amie continues, her expression downcast, "And Aaron's completely ashamed of what we are. He's made up a completely different back story for us. And I'm starting to worry that he actually believes it," she finishes softly.

I rub her arm gently, "It'll be okay, Ames. We'll figure this out. I promise." I cradle her face with my hand, wiping a tear away with my thumb as I lean in awkwardly to kiss her. I have no idea how she'll react.

Before my lips meet hers, someone knocks on my door. Mikey shoots inside before I can even answer, closing the door quickly behind him. And Amie and I immediately pull away from each.

My youngest brother rolls his eyes at us, making it clear that we're not fooling him.

"Mike, what the shell are you doing?" I ask, just a little irritated with him.

"Don, I need you to help me distract Aaron. Amie, can you wait in the garage?"

"Sure," Amie answers slowly, her expression confused. "Why?"

"'Cause Raph is going to sneak Annie up there, get some of her stuff packed, and they're going to April and Casey's." Mike blurts out in one breath. I don't even have to ask. I'd seen the infuriated look on my brother's face and the hurt one on my pregnant sister-in-law's when Aaron had talked down to Annie like that. Even I, the peace-keeping turtle, had clenched my fists.

"I'll do one better," Amie says. "Go help Mikey, Don. I'll go pack my sister's stuff." Once Mikey's back is turned, Amie gives me a quick kiss. She pulls away, her expression very gentle. I've never seen her look at me like that before. Therefore, I just stand there, completely dumbfounded as she walks out of my room.

Mikey sticks his head back through my door, "You coming, Genius?"

I blush, "Uh, y-yeah, L-Leo."

"_Shell_," my orange-masked brother chuckles. "You've got it _bad_, bro."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	53. Pesticide

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and Purple 'N' Blue Wings for reviewing!_

_ Okay, take a deep breath...  
><em>

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><p>Later that evening, Raph and I are sitting on April's couch. Splinter is caring for my brother. And Casey is down there discourage Aaron from doing anything stupid. The guys and Amie will be getting here any minute now.<p>

Shadow walks over to me, begging to be picked up. Before I can even move, my husband picks the toddler up and places her in my lap. She kisses my belly. "Cade," her little voice says, matter-of-factly. Raphael chuckles at her.

My husband had picked out that name on Christmas Eve. The night I'd told him that I was pregnant. It was the only one that had stuck. And, even though I'm convinced that I'm carrying a boy, Mikey had pointed out that it was a good girl's name too.

"That's right, Shadow," I say, tickling her tummy. "And it won't be long before baby Cade gets here. Then you'll have someone else to play with. What do ya think of that?"

The dark haired little girl giggles as I tickle her. I can't believe how much she takes after Casey. Hopefully she'll have her mother's brains.

I hear the window creak, tensing. Only to relax when I catch my sister's scent. Amie comes up behind me.

"I can't believe how big she's gotten!" Amie coos at Shadow. And scaring my husband out of his shell. His bros, who are right behind my twin, start laughing.

"Not funny, Amie," Raphael growls.

My sister sits on the arm of the recliner, giggling. "Too bad, Raph. I thought it was," she says smugly.

The red-masked turtle mutters to himself and I chuckle, pecking him on the cheek. I can't help but notice Amie's expression, though. Something's up.

"Is Aaron okay?" I ask. I can tell that my Raphael's not pleased with my concern for my brother. I can see it in his amber eyes.

Don sits in the recliner and is about to answer when Amie settles into his lap. Completely stunning him into silence and making him blush fiercely. Which only makes everyone laugh again. But it doesn't last long. The same look I'd noticed on my sister's face is on the guys' faces too.

"Leo, what's going on?" Raph asks. "You all look like someone died."

I gasp, clutching Shadow closer, "Did Aaron-?"

Mikey shakes his head as Leo holds up a hand to stop me. "No, he's doing better actually," Fearless answers and I give a shaky sigh of relief.

"He told us where he's been," Mikey adds.

"And where was that?" April asks as she comes from the kitchen, settling on my other side.

Fearless takes a breath, "He managed to find where Hun and the FOH were hiding."

There's a collective gasp from April, my husband, and myself. I'd known that the FOH hadn't disappeared entirely, but I hadn't been expecting Aaron to find them.

Raphael is the first one to speak up, "And where is that?"

Don finally manages to find his voice, "Aaron said that didn't matter. He said that they've already moved."

"To _where_?" I ask. "C'mon guys. Spill. I can't handle the suspense."

When Amie speaks up, her voice is completely emotionless, "He doesn't know. They found him out, beat him, and left him for dead. It's a wonder he even made it to us." I can tell by her eyes that there's more.

Shadow squeals happily when she sees Mikey. The orange-masked turtle takes the sixteen-month-old from my arms and I turn to Leo, "What else did Aaron say, Fearless?"

Said turtle pinches the bridge of his beak, "He found out what they're planning. He told us shortly after you two left the Lair."

"Shell, Fearless! Quit hanging back. Just _tell_ us!" My husband is clearly about to lose it. I pat his thigh soothingly.

Leo takes another breath, but it's the purple-masked turtle who answers, "They've managed to get a hold of one of the Shredder's old labs. They're making an airborne gas that will immediately kill _any_ mutant it comes in contact with. Like pesticide," Don finishes, his voice horrified. He wraps his arms around my sister's waist protectively.

Raphael clenches his fists, "We've got to get the girls out of here. Now," he says, his voice dangerously quiet.

Mikey shakes his head. "That won't work, Raphie. Aaron said that once the stuff is loose, it'll just spread. There's no way _anyone_ can run from it."

My husband pulls me into his arms. I can't tell if he's shaking. 'Cause I'm shivering violently.

"H-how much longer before they release it?" April asks, shocked.

"Four to five months," Leo answers, so quiet that I can barely hear him.

Four to five months. My and Raphael's baby will be two, maybe three months old by then. An image of my beautiful little baby dying with me and my husband comes into my mind. I start sobbing into Raphael's plastron. _What on earth are we going to do? What can we do?_

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><p><em>What will they do now?<em>

_Please R&R._


	54. Standoff

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter, syzygy101, and DennieHamato for reviewing!  
><em>

_Please don't forget to vote on my poll! Should the baby be a boy or a girl?  
><em>

* * *

><p>Two months since the bad news. And Annaleigh is due in about a week. <em>Shell.<em> It's hard to believe that I'll be a dad in seven days. Never, _ever_ thought this would happen.

Even though everyone's excited about the kid coming, the FOH's plans are hanging over all of us, dragging us down. Two months and we _still_ don't know where they are, or how they plan to release that gas. If we only knew that... We could stop them right now. We should be able to stop them!

Aaron's doing everything he can to help us. But I still don't trust him and there's no _way_ I'm letting him touch my wife. No matter how many times he apologizes to the both of us.

Even Amie's been coming with us and Casey on patrol. For someone who's really never fought before, she can sure kick some shell. Don's got a great girl. He'd better hurry up and make a move. I think he's scared that he's gonna end up pushing her away if he tries to take the next step too soon. I'm pretty sure my sister-in-law won't mind though, since our lives are going to end in about two or three months anyway.

Naturally, I'm the first one in the Lair when we get back home. It's midnight, so Splinter heads to his room, after wishing April and my wife good night. Shadow's asleep in Annaleigh's arms. April takes her daughter from my wife. Who looks exhausted. I keep urging her to get as much rest as she can, but she's made a point of spending every spare moment she can with me.

I pull her close and she tenses, "Annaleigh? Are you okay?"

She relaxes, "I'm fine. The baby hasn't quit moving all night."

"But he's stopped now, huh?" I grumble.

She laughs, "It's okay, _di hi_. In just a couple of days, you'll be able to _hold_ him."

I'm about to kiss her when Don comes up to us, "So, no more contractions then?"

My Wildcat shakes her head before laying it on my shoulder, my arms still wrapped firmly around her. Two days ago, she'd started having some of those contractions. Don was convinced that she was going to have the baby then. But it was only about four of 'em. And no more since.

Amie taps my purple-masked brother on the shoulder and kisses him goodnight before she heads back to the apartment with the Jones's. She'd moved in with them a few days after Aaron's bad news.

My oldest and youngest brothers have already gone to bed. Aaron watches the four of us closely, his expression unreadable. I ignore him. The baby's starting to kick again, and I can feel it against my plastron. Annaleigh gives me a pleading look, then motions with her head toward Aaron. I shake mine. I don't want her brother to do something that causes her to go into labor before the baby's ready. I start to lead her toward our room, but she's rooted to the spot. And I'm not going to pick her up. I can see by the look on her face that doing so will just make her furious. I sigh, giving in. _I can't believe I'm going to let her do this._

She kisses my cheek before gently pulling out of my arms and making her way to her brother. That's when I notice that we're the only three still in the Great Room. Aaron's green eyes meet mine in confusion and I give him a warning look. If he tries _anything_, I _will_ beat him senseless.

But it looks like my glare is unnecessary. Aaron pulls his little sister into a hug and she kisses his cheek. "I'm really sorry, Annie. I never meant to hurt you," he whispers. I can hear him clearly 'cause I'm standing right behind my wife.

"Don't worry about it, Aaron. It's over with. We've got bigger things to worry about," she answers softly. "Love you."

"Love you too, sis." She places his big hand on her belly for a minute. And then I'm picking her up.

"You're going to bed, Wildcat."

For once, she doesn't fight me.

The next morning and I'm on edge. Big time. And it's not because of my brother-in-law.

"No," I say firmly.

"But _di hi _-"

"I said 'no,' Wildcat."

"Raphael. Please." _Aw shell._ Now she's _begging_. I glare at my wife and she looks back at me innocently, placing a hand on her belly.

I pinch the bridge of my beak, sighing, "Annaleigh. Our kid will be here _very_ soon and you want to go all the way to the _farmhouse_? Why?"

"'Cause we haven't been since our honeymoon. I want some time alone with you. And we won't be able to go after the baby's born." 'Cause we'll be too busy trying to stop the FOH, of course.

This morning, Fearless had found a note on Annaleigh's dad's tombstone. Basically, it said that the FOH wouldn't release the toxin if we decided to work for the PDs. They'd even given us a place to meet at in three months. Which has given us a lot to work with. Like the fact that Hun is the person calling the shots, apparently. And since we've beat him before... We'll _definitely_ be able to do it again. He's not too smart when he doesn't have the Shredder to lead him by the nose.

I give my _very_ pregnant wife a firm look, "Sweetheart, what if you go into labor while we're up there? It'll be just the two of us, and I won't know what the shell I'm supposed to do."

"Babe, I'm not due until next week-"

"And April had Shadow _two_ weeks _before_ her due date," Donnie says as he walks over to stand beside her. All of us have been a lot more careful to make ourselves heard around Annaleigh lately. She'd had those four contractions when Mikey had accidentally snuck up on her.

"This ain't none of your business, Donatello." _Shell._ I knew that she's been picking up some stuff from me, but now she's even starting to _sound_ like me. Or, at least a Southern version of me.

"It is too, Annie. Since I'm the one who'll be delivering the baby." My wife is about to blow up on Genius. I can tell that she _really_ wants this. And I want to give it to her. I want her to be happy. But none of us are going to risk her safety. Or the baby's.

That's when Splinter intervenes. "Arguing is not wise, Sora," he addresses Annaleigh. She bows her head, cheeks coloring in shame.

"Sorry, Don." She looks up at me, "Sorry, babe."

Don rubs her shoulder gently.

Sensei holds up a finger, "I do, however, have a suggestion."

All three of us look over at him. But he's looking at my wife, "I suggest that you and Raphael take Donatello and your sister with you. I am sure that the two of them would also appreciate some alone time as well. But," he casts a sidelong at my purple-masked brother, "the two of them are to sleep in _separate_ rooms." I know that he knows that they won't do anything. Master Splinter just said that last part to make Don squirm.

Annaleigh beams at him and looks at me smugly, wrapping both arms around her belly. I roll my eyes as Donnie blushes.

Splinter just chuckles._ Great. T__hanks, Dad._

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R<em>


	55. Cade

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and syzygy101 for reviewing!  
><em>

_And the votes are unanimous. The baby is... You really don't think I'm going to tell you right now, do you? You'll just have to read this chapter to find out._

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><p>It's a <em>long<em> drive to the farmhouse. And I'm very uncomfortable. All these bumps are not helping me one bit. The good thing is that I'm not sitting on the Battle Shell's cold, hard, metal floor since April let us borrow her van. Which now has tinted windows. _Thank goodness._ I won't have to worry about Raphael's awful fedora.

Don's driving, so we miss most of the big potholes. All the same, I'll be glad when this ride's over. Raphael wraps his arm firmly around me like he had the very first time they brought me here. I can't believe it's already been over a year since then. Since I lost Daddy...

Raph gently rubs my belly with his free hand. I hope he doesn't notice how tight it is right now. About two hours into the drive, I'd started having little cramps in my belly. Not enough to worry me, of course. But they still haven't let up, they've only gotten worse. And me being stubborn (like my husband, I might add), had hid it. I figure that they'll just let up. Like those contractions had.

Apparently, Raphael does notice. 'Cause he's eying me carefully, "You're not having those contractions again, are you?"

_Shoot!_ I shake my head, "No, babe." Well? It _is_ the truth! This is nowhere near as painful as those were. "I'm just getting carsick."

Don looks at me via the rear view window, completely misunderstanding what I'd just said, "We're almost there, Annie. Do you think you can hold off on being sick until then?"

My husband and I laugh. But Amie looks back at me, raising an eyebrow. My twin sister _always_ knows when I'm holding something back. She puts a hand on Don's arm, "How much longer, Einstein?" That completely wipes any thought of these cramps from my mind. Since when did she start calling Donnie that?

"About an hour, Ames. Why?" And when did he start calling Amie that?

Amie looks back at me, "You might want to step on it then, Don. Otherwise, Nani'll be having the baby in the van."

Raph looks at me, but I'm not paying him any attention, "Mimi, I'm fine!"

"No, you're not. You're going pale."

As soon as she says that, a deep pain courses through my belly. I've _never_ felt anything this _painful_. Not even when I'd got shot. My hand clenches onto Raph's as I curl around my belly, panting.

Donnie stomps on the gas and Raphael takes off my seat belt and gathers me into his arms. "Just hold on, Wildcat. We're almost there," he tries to soothe me, his voice panicked.

* * *

><p>I'm in the middle of meditating with Splinter when Sensei's shell cell rings. Probably Don calling to let us know that they made it.<p>

Master Splinter's ears flatten and I can tell that something's up. I get up and walk over to the couch, taking the remote from Mikey who's curled up with Zeb, and muting the T.V.s.

"Hey! I was watching-!"

I put my hand over my orange-masked brother's mouth and motion toward Sensei who is talking on his phone. I'm not close enough to hear, but I can tell by his posture that it's something urgent.

Mikey's eyes widen and he pushes my hand away, "What's going on, Leo? Is Annie having the baby?"

I shake my head, "I don't know, Mike. I don't even know who called." But he could be right. Annie had been looking a little under the weather when they'd left this morning.

Sensei gets off and makes his way to us. "That was Amie. She was calling to let us know that-"

"Is Annie having the baby, Sensei?" Mikey interrupts. I shoot him a disapproving glare.

"Yes, Michelangelo." Aaron looks up from his place at Raphael's punching bag. Sensei places a hand on Mikey's elbow, "I need you to grab Sora's diaper bag from her closet. She forgot it this morning. Make sure that everything she will need is in there."

Mikey nods and runs to Raph and Annie's room. "Leonardo. I need you and Aaron to help him. I will call Mr. and Mrs. Jones and inform them on what is going on."

"Yes, Sensei."

We pull the Battle Shell up to the farmhouse at about midnight, the Jones's right behind us in Casey's antique red and white car. I park the truck behind April's van and all of us hurry inside, Aaron holding an excited Zeb's collar firmly. Mikey's cat had disappeared in the direction of the barn.

It's completely quiet except for the sound of muffled voices from upstairs. Ape's about to go up there when Amie comes down.

"Good, you guys made it," she says, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Is the baby here yet?" Mikey asks, getting right to the point.

Amie shakes her head, "No. I'd say about another hour."

Casey looks at her in confusion, cradling a sleeping Shadow, "Then why-?"

"Why is Annie not screaming her lungs out?" Amie finishes for him, but it's Aaron who finishes his sister's train of thought.

"My sisters and I have an extremely high pain tolerance. Annie won't cry out." Even so, his expression is very worried. He's completely different from the man who hit his sister over a year ago. And I find that I'm finally able to forgive him for that.

Splinter hands Amie the red and black diaper bag, "How is she?"

"All things considered, she's doing fine. It's your son who almost freaked out."

Mikey laughs, "Seriously? Raphael? Freak out? You didn't manage to get that on film, by any chance?" Splinter's cane smacks his head. "Ow," he mumbles, rubbing the back of his head.

Amie rolls her eyes, "Now's really not the time, Mike. I've got to get this stuff back up there. We're definitely going to need the blankets since this place is too drafty for the baby." She pulls a small bottle and a can of formula out of the bag and hands both to me. "You think you can get a bottle ready, Leo?"

"No problem."

Don comes downstairs before I can head into the kitchen. Amie looks up at him, "Is something wrong, Einstein?"

Donnie smiles, "Nope." He looks at the rest of us. "You guys made it just in time." His smile grows wider, "Annie _just_ had the baby. Cade's a girl."

"I knew it!" Mikey squeals.

Aaron sighs in relief. The green-eyed man relinquishes Zeb to Mikey, moving to the mantle to get a fire started.

That's when we hear the baby crying. Amie shoves me toward the kitchen, "Hurry it up, Leo. Your niece sounds like she's starving."

She and Don then disappear upstairs again, April right behind them.

* * *

><p><em>Big thanks to my voters! You know who you are!<em>

_Please R&R._


	56. U we tsi

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to Purple 'N' Blue Wings, syzygy101, and The Silent Hunter for reviewing!  
><em>

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><p>Annaleigh softly chants in Cherokee, trying to soothe our fussy baby. I can't believe Cade's here already. And she's even tinier than Shadow was. About six pounds. That had worried me. At least until my wife had pointed out that she wasn't built to have big babies.<p>

"What does '_u we tsi_' mean, Wildcat?" I ask, carefully pronouncing the one phrase I'd heard her repeat several times.

Annaleigh smiles tiredly at me. She kisses Cade's forehead before answering me, "It means 'daughter,' _di hi_." She smirks, "And our _u we tsi_ looks like her _e do da_. Like I'd said about, oh, I don't know, a _hundred_ times maybe?"

I roll my eyes, gently taking the baby from her. "You'd also said that she was going to be a boy," I tease back. I swear, Cade weighs a _lot_ less than Klunk. Her skin's just one shade lighter than mine. But her shell and plastron are _exactly_ the same. Right down to the patterns. She's got four fingers instead of three and her eyes, which she hasn't opened yet, are shaped like her mother's. The rest of her features are the same as mine. Just a little more delicate, like her momma's.

As soon as I'd started talking, Cade had instantly stopped fussing. Like I'd known she would. Her little head is rolling around as she squirms in her blanket. Trying to find me or her mother, I guess. "It's okay, Cade. Daddy's got ya, sweetie." Bright green eyes, Aaron's color, snap open and look right at me.

Even though I'd been expecting my or Annaleigh's eyes to be looking up at me, I smile at her. "Hey there, baby girl." I feel my wife's hand on my arm and I lean over to kiss her, barely taking my eyes off our kid. "Ya did amazing, Wildcat."

"I know," she says, giggling. "I'm glad she's here now."

"Me too."

That's when the door opens. _Shell. Why can't they just leave us alone?_

Amie's the first to walk through, followed closely by Don and... April? "What are you doing here, Ape?"

Amie smiles, "I'd called Splinter as soon as we made it here. All of them just got here about five minutes ago."

"Everyone's _here_?" Annaleigh groans, leaning back against her pillow, "And I look like a mess!"

As April, Amie, and Don laugh, I whisper to her, "You look perfect to me." She blushes and mouths 'I love you too.'

"That's why we girls are back up here," Amie retorts, ignoring our quiet exchange. "Ape and I will help you take a bath while Donnie gives Cade a once over."

I eye my purple-masked brother carefully, cradling my baby possessively against my chest, "You're not planning to stick her, are ya, Genius?"

Don rolls his eyes at me as the other women help my exhausted wife to the bathroom that is, thankfully for her, just a few steps from the bed. "Of course not, Raph. I'm just going to make sure that Cade's healthy. That's all. Nothing else, I promise."

"Can I hold her while you do that?"

Don chuckles, "Sure, I don't see why not." Cade starts fussing again. And I start talking to her again, trying to soothe her, but it doesn't work this time. She is clearly not happy with her purple-masked uncle. And Cade's bound and determined to let him know that. The pupils in her little green eyes change to slits. I wonder what else she got from her momma. A growling turtle would sure be something to see...

Don runs his hand over her shell, feeling for soft spots I guess. It doesn't look like he's found anything though. "It's okay, Cade," he murmurs. "Uncle Donnie's almost done."

Leo comes into the room, a bottle in his hand. I smirk at him, "I thought you didn't know how make that stuff, Fearless."

He shakes his head at me, but doesn't say anything. He's too busy watching the baby in my arms. "Ya can come in, Leo," I say sarcastically. "Cade won't bite."

He does, handing me the bottle, "_Shell_. She's even littler than Shadow was." He smiles at me, "Congrats, Raph. She's beautiful."

"Yeah, well, just don't get all mushy on me, Leo," I quirk. He laughs as I try to talk Cade into taking her bottle. Takes me awhile, but she finally gets the idea. Don's finished looking her over by then.

"And?" I ask, raising an eye ridge as I look up from my daughter to him.

He smiles, "Nothing. As far as I can tell, she's perfectly fine." He smirks, "You might want to try sharing her with everyone else, though. She'll be spoiled rotten if you keep up like this."

I grumble at him, re-wrapping my daughter in her blanket as both my bros laugh. Don's the first one to speak, "Everyone else is waiting downstairs. Since it'll probably be awhile before Annie's done, why don't you take Cade down there?"

Leo laughs at my expression, "It's that or they'll all try to cram in here. Mikey's practically chomping at the bit already." He caresses my daughter's cheek with his finger. "And Aaron's got a fire going down there. Cade'll be plenty warm."

"Okay. Just let me tell Annaleigh what's going on."

I'm _extremely_ careful as I walk down the stairs. I know that I almost never trip. But I'm already afraid that I'm gonna drop my little girl, who's now fast asleep against my shoulder.

Mikey, of course, is the first to meet me at the bottom of the stairs. "Can I see her, Raphie?"

"Just a minute, Mike. Let me get to the couch. Shell, you're worse than Zeb." Who is nowhere in sight. "Speaking of which, where _is_ that mutt?"

Aaron looks up shyly from where he's stoking the fire. He's still uneasy around me. And I don't blame him. I still want to smack him one. "I put him outside. He was getting a little too hyper. Didn't want him to hurt my niece." Okay, maybe I don't hate him _that_ much now.

I nod, sitting on the couch next to Splinter, "Would you like to hold your granddaughter, Sensei?"

He nods, his eyes shining. As soon as I hand Cade to him, she wakes up and starts fussing again. "None of that, Cade. You're fine," and again, she stops, her green eyes looking over at me. Mikey's kneeling in front of Sensei, waiting his turn. I've never seen him so patient. But I'm not really focused on him right now. Leo's standing next to Don. Who's gaping at his niece from over my shoulder. And it's starting to freak me out.

"What the shell's got you so upset, Genius? I thought you said she was fine."

He shakes his head quickly, "Raph, go over by the fireplace and talk to Cade again."

"_Why_?"

"Just do it, please." I roll my eyes as I do what he says, everyone else watching intently.

Donnie watches my daughter as she tries to turn her head toward me and her eyes meet mine. "Shell. She shouldn't even be doing that," my purple-masked brother whispers.

"Doing what, Donnie? What's wrong with Cade?" Casey asks as Splinter gently hands my baby back to me. Genius had better spill now. I'm about to give my daughter to her Uncle Mike. So I can have both my hands free to strangle my genius brother.

Don clears his throat, "Nothing's wrong. At least, I don't think so. She's tracking Raph. But she shouldn't be able to do that. Not yet. Babies are normally born almost blind. Thing is," his hazel eyes meet mine, "Cade's looking right _at_ you, bro."

Aaron clears his throat and they all look at him. I'm too busy looking into Cade's green eyes. "Don's right. But she'll be fine, Raph," my brother-in-law says, hesitatingly putting a hand on my shoulder. "Annie and Amie were the same way when they were born. It's just part of our mutation."

Okay, maybe I don't hate him at all. "Why don't you take her for a minute, Aaron?"

His eyes widen in surprise, "Are you sure, Raph?"

I nod my head, "Yeah. Annaleigh's probably gonna need my help. And I can't help her and hold Cade."

I gently hand the bigger man my now sleeping daughter before heading back upstairs to check on my wife. Completely ignoring the slack-jawed stares of the rest of my family. Sensei just laughs.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	57. Joking

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter for reviewing!  
><em>

* * *

><p>Amie and April already have me back in bed when Raphael comes back through the door. Minus our baby. I hardly pay any attention to the other women as they slip out. My eyes are on my husband, "Where's Cade, babe?"<p>

"She's okay. Aaron's got her." That shocks me. I'd thought that my husband _hates_ my brother.

He chuckles at my expression, "It's fine, Wildcat. I trust him."

I eye him cautiously. "Who are you and what have you done with _my_ turtle?" That causes him to laugh.

He kisses me softly before pulling away, "Have I ever told you that I love you?"

"Yes. More than a million times. And I love you too." My smile turns coy, "Now, get back down here. I wasn't finished kissing you."

Before our lips can meet again, the sound of my baby crying comes from the stairs. Mikey comes in, cradling a squalling Cade. "I think she wants mommy and daddy."

He hands my daughter to me and I mock glare at the orange-masked turtle, "Why did ya have to pinch her, Mike?"

His face becomes panicked, "I didn't do anything!" he whines. "I swear!"

My husband and I just start laughing. "Just teasing. Love ya, Mike."

"Love you too, sis," he says begrudgingly.

Normally, that would have made me laugh harder. But Cade's clearly not happy right now. Her little green face is almost turning red as she cries out louder.

I rock her gently as Mikey disappears from the room. Splinter must have ordered everyone to give us our privacy. Otherwise, I _know_ Mike would still be in here.

Raphael caresses our daughter's hand, which latches onto his finger. "What's wrong with her?" he asks worriedly.

"She's tired, _di hi_."

"Then why doesn't she just go back to sleep, Annaleigh?"

I smile as our daughter starts to calm at the sound of her daddy's voice, "'Cause this is all new to her, babe. She wants to stay up." I kiss the baby's forehead, "You're just as stubborn as Daddy, aren't you, Cade?" She yawns, stretching, and we chuckle at her. I look back up at my husband, "Why don't you try rocking her, Raph? I think I'm about to fall asleep myself."

Raphael kisses my forehead and takes Cade to the rocking chair in the corner, cradling her to his chest. He starts singing that Japanese lullaby again, and my daughter and I both drift off.

* * *

><p>It's not even five minutes before both my girls are out. I manage to keep from laughing and just grin instead. Very slowly, I get into the bed. Laying Cade between me and my sleeping wife. Mikey had forgotten the playpen so I have to improvise.<p>

And about an hour later, Cade's fussing has me wide awake. Annaleigh too. I kiss her temple. "Go back to sleep, Wildcat." She smiles tiredly at me before laying her head back down. As I make my way down the stairs, my daughter starts fussing even more. Almost loud enough to wake the whole house. _Shell. How can something so little scream like this?_

I softly sing to her, but it's not what Cade wants. She does quiet down some, but she keeps whimpering. She wants her bottle _now_. And she's gonna keep letting me know that until I give it to her. Annaleigh was right. She's definitely got my stubbornness.

I nearly jump out of my shell when I see Aaron's form in the kitchen. I hadn't been expecting him to be up.

"Shell, Aaron. What are you _doing_?"

His voice is apologetic. "I heard Cade fussing. Thought I could bring her bottle up." I know what he's trying to do. He's trying to make up for his mistakes.

I smile at him, "You didn't have to do that."

His green eyes slightly reflect the kitchen night light, "I know, but if I can help out some way... any way... I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm _really_ sorry. I was such an _idiot_."

I smirk, "You could have fooled me. Oh, and I guess you didn't notice. But your niece has _your_ eyes."

His brows raise at that. "Seriously?" he asks as he hands me the bottle. I give it to Cade and she latches on quickly this time, looking reproachfully up at me as she eats. I chuckle at her. Aaron laughs, "She is _definitely_ your kid, Raph."

* * *

><p>I wake to the sun shining through the window, my hand going to my belly. Which is flat. <em>Wait just a second.<em> Then I remember, smiling at myself. I turn onto my side and laugh quietly.

Raphael's snoring with our little Cade curled up on her tummy on his chest, firmly wrapped in her little red and silver blanket. I reach back to the nightstand at my side, where I had seen my husband put his phone. I've got it flipped open and am about to take a picture when Raph's amber eyes open and look at me. I snap the picture anyway.

"You're not planning on showing that to Mikey, are you, Wildcat?" he jokes. I've never seen him in such a good mood this early in the morning. Must be because our baby's here.

I giggle, propping myself up on my elbow so that I can lean over and kiss him before laying my head on his shoulder.

"How ya feeling, Wildcat?" he asks, still whispering. It's now that I remember that Cade was fussing most of the night.

I nod, "I'm fine, babe." I rub my stomach, "Still sore, though." I caress my daughter's cheek lightly, giggling when her little forehead creases and she turns her head in her sleep. "But it's worth it."

"Ever thought of having another one?" he asks, lightly rubbing Cade's shell. I look at my husband, dumbfounded. He must be joking. But his face is serious.

Now, don't get me wrong. I _do_ want more kids. I'd just never expected my Raphael to ask this _particular_ question only the _day after_ I give birth to our firstborn.

He smirks at my expression and I find myself laughing quietly, "Yes, I have. But I'm gonna have to give you a rain check on that, Red. I can only handle one baby at a time."

"Okay then." He grins wickedly at me, "Later tonight, Wildcat?"

If he wasn't holding Cade, I would _so_ have smacked him with my pillow. Instead, I settle for glaring at him playfully, "Raphael."

"Yeah, Annaleigh?" he asks, his expression now innocent.

I roll my eyes, going cat-eyed, "Go back to sleep."

He starts laughing quietly.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	58. Traumatized

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101, Purple 'N' Blue Wings, DennieHamato, and The Silent Hunter for reviewing!  
><em>

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><p>"Time to wake up, Uncle Leo," Annie's voice sings as she puts her baby on my chest. I open my eyes and wrap my arms carefully around a cooing Cade as I sit up.<p>

"What time is it, Annie?" I ask, looking down at my niece's bright green eyes. Shell. Mikey wasn't kidding. She's so _tiny_. Tinier than I'd first thought.

Annie slowly sits next to me. Even though she's had several hours to rest since she had Cade, she's still gotta be exhausted. "And where's Raph?"

She snorts. "Don't worry," she says, kissing her baby's head. "He made sure to carry Cade down here himself. And as for the time," she smirks at me. "It's after eleven. An all-time record for you, Leonardo."

I roll my eyes, "Well, it's mostly thanks to you and the baby."

"You could have just stayed home and gone to bed, Leo," she says sarcastically.

"And miss meeting Cade on her birthday? Not a chance, sis."

Annie laughs and kisses my cheek, before leaning against my side. "I'm _really_ glad you guys made it, bro."

I adjust my hold on my niece as she squirms. "Me too."

Annie laughs again. This time at my somewhat panicked face when Cade starts squalling. She definitely got her lungs from Raph. My red-masked brother finally shows up with a bottle. But instead of taking his daughter from me, he hands me the bottle. Surprising me.

"You might want to give that to her sometime soon, Fearless," Raph says, smirking. "Otherwise, Cade will just scream louder. And I don't think you want to wake everyone else up."

As soon as I make sure she's eating I look up at the both of them in confusion. "You mean they're _still_ sleeping?"

Raph sits on his wife's other side, "Everyone 'cept for Splinter. He held Cade while I carried Annaleigh down the stairs."

Said woman rolls her eyes, "And I still say that it was completely unnecessary. I could have gone down them myself."

I chuckle as Raph narrows his eyes at her. Being carried has always been a pet peeve of Annie's. She only allows it when it's absolutely necessary. Like when she had been shot. _Shell._ Hard to believe how much time's gone since that.

"_Anyways_," Annie says, turning back to me. "Splinter went to the barn. I think he's meditating. And we're going to wake everyone else up in about half an hour. Since you didn't get to hold Cade last night..."

"Thanks, sis."

"Anything for one of my big brothers."

* * *

><p>Shortly after breakfast (I mean brunch) Amie's sitting next to me on my workbench. Just playing with my mask tails. And driving me crazy. I'm about to tell her to stop.<p>

"You know, you're cute when you're frustrated."

My jaw clenches. Me? Cute? She cannot be _serious_.

She laughs, "Just like that." She pecks my cheek, making me blush again. "And you're _especially_ cute when you blush."

I can't even get a single word in! Something about her... It frustrates and flusters me at the same time.

I turn my attention back to my project, "You d-do know that you're d-driving me crazy, right?" _Shell, Donatello! Stop stuttering!_

"You drive me crazy too, babe. In your own way." I drop my screw driver, blushing fiercely as I pick it up. This is the _first_ time she's called me 'babe.'

I sit back up and Amie's _right there_. Her face only inches from mine. Something about her expression though... She seems a little anxious about something.

She wraps her arms around my neck and I drop my screw driver for a second time, not bothering to pick it up again. I'm too busy wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Are you just putting up with me because of Annie, Don?"

"Where is this coming from, Ames?"

She shakes her head, "Just answer the question, Einstein."

I roll my eyes, "You know that's not true, Ames. You know that I love you." Wait a second. _Did I just tell that I love her?_

Let me get one thing straight. I _do_ love her. I just wanted to wait to tell her. I'd just figured that this probably wasn't the right time, what with Cade surprising us last night and with Hun and the FOH's plans for us. But, like I always do around Amie, I lost control of my mouth.

She buries her head under my chin. "I love you, too," she whispers. Before I even know what I'm doing, I find myself kissing her. Only to pull back faster than greased lightning when Annie clears her throat.

Raph, who's standing behind her with a sleeping Cade in his arms, starts chuckling softly and I glare at him.

Amie laughs and Annie rolls her eyes. "Sorry to interrupt. But Splinter and Leo called a family meeting in a few minutes. Raph and I figured that the two of you probably don't want Mikey to catch you _kissing_."

"Thanks, sis." Annie nods wordlessly at me, taking her daughter from her husband and laying Cade in my arms. She smells like baby soap.

"Can the two of you keep an eye on her so that we can get something to eat too?"

Amie winks, "Not a problem, Nani."

As soon as my brother and his wife disappear back into the kitchen, I turn to my girlfriend, "Why do you call her that, Ames?"

She kisses me softly and, thankfully, I somehow manage to remember that my niece is in my arms.

Amie pulls back and lays her head on my arm, watching Cade fidget in her sleep. "'Cause we couldn't speak very well when we were babies. At least, not in English."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," she caresses Cade's plastron. "Since Annie and I are twins, we understand each other better than we do anyone else. When we were babies, we even had our own language that we made up."

"Hence the nicknames."

"Yep. We could talk just fine by the time we were two, but those little names stuck 'cause our parents thought it was just too cute. They used to call us 'Mimi' and 'Nani' too," Amie finishes, her voice going quieter. Something's bugging her.

"What happened to them? Your parents, I mean."

Amie sniffs and all but plasters herself to my side. I've never seen my girl look this vulnerable before. "Shredder. You remember that Dad was one his experiments, right?"

I nod and she takes a few seconds to answer. Probably to gather her composure. "Well, he finally caught up to Dad when we girls were three and Aaron was nine. And Shredder wasn't happy. Several of his pawns were with him." She growls, going cat-eyed, "It was a coward's ambush. If it wasn't for Aaron, Annie and I wouldn't have survived. Mom and Dad weren't so lucky. He ripped them apart like they were animals."

I gasp in shock. No wonder Annie has very few memories of when she was little. I hadn't realized how traumatized all three of them are.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	59. Plans

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to Purple 'N' Blue Wings and syzygy101 for reviewing!  
><em>

* * *

><p>Annaleigh and I had just given Cade her first bath, so we'd missed breakfast. Thankfully, Fearless gives us a few minutes to grab something while Don and Amie watch our kid. As soon as my wife fixes her plate, I snatch it from her, my expression clearly telling her that she's not carrying it. My Wildcat rolls her eyes, but lets me have my way.<p>

Mikey moves from the couch to make room for Annaleigh. Amie's already sitting there, cooing over Cade who's falling asleep in her lap. I hand my wife her plate as I sit on the floor in front of her, leaning over to plant a kiss on my daughter's forehead.

As soon as she sees me, Cade starts whimpering. I set my plate down next to me before I take my baby from Amie. Well, I _was_ going to eat.

Annaleigh scoots to the floor by my side and plops a strawberry in my mouth, making Mikey laugh. I glare at him over my daughter's head. My orange-masked brother just laughs harder, knowing full well that he's safe while Cade's still in the room.

My wife lays a hand on my arm, "Don't you worry, _di hi_. We'll get him," she whispers.

And then Leo clears his throat. "Alright, now that Cade's here, we need to figure out what we're going to do about the FOH." I roll my eyes. He's gone into full tactician mode.

Amie raises her hand, making everyone but Leo and Splinter laugh. Something tells me that she's probably the class clown. Leo shoots her a disapproving glare and she just smirks at him. I have to admit, she's got guts. Like her sister.

"I hope that you are taking this seriously, Amie Carter," Splinter admonishes.

"I was, Master Splinter. Just thought we could use a little lightening up. We won't beat the FOH if we're stuck in gloom and doom."

"You are correct, Amie. However, in matters like these, one must be serious as well. Find balance. If one jokes too much... Lives could be lost."

"Yes, Sensei." Annaleigh sneaks me a bite of my pancake as Cade finally nods off. I gently lay her in my lap and take my plate from my wife.

"You did raise your hand for a reason, Ames? Besides goofing off." Amie glares at Don, but lets it slide.

"Yes. I figured that since the FOH is determined to kill mutants, why not use mutants to beat them?"

"Uhh, let's see Amie," Mikey says. "'Cause there's only nine mutants here and one's just a baby?" He rolls his eyes, "They'll be terrified of Cade! She'll flatten them with her cuteness!" he says sarcastically.

Amie shakes her head at him, "We're not the only mutants living in New York, Mike."

Aaron speaks up for the first time today. "She's right. Amie and I lived among a group of homeless mutants for a few years."

"You mean to say that there's other mutants living practically in our backyard?" Casey asks incredulously as April settles next to him with a still sleepy Shadow.

The rest of us, except for my wife, are wide-eyed right along with him. Even Splinter. And I can't help but wonder how we managed to go all those years without even meeting a single one.

Amie nods, "Most human mutants are _very_ good at hiding their mutations. I even meet another mutant when I auditioned at Julliard two months ago. We're not as alone as you might think."

My Wildcat speaks up, "But not all mutants can be trusted, Nani." She pulls up her sleeve to show everyone the scars covering her arm. Everyone else has already seen them, but Aaron gasps. I don't think he even knew about those. I wonder how he'll react when he finds out that she's got a _lot_ more.

"We'll just have to be careful. Approach them as a group, not one on one," Amie continues. "I don't think any of them will attack us once they know what's going on."

"But it's getting them to listen that's the problem."

I set my empty plate down and wrap my arm around my wife, "You don't have to do any of this if you don't want to, Wildcat."

I'm well aware of everyone's eyes are on us as she scoots closer to me, "I have to, babe." She gently pulls our baby into her arms. "Cade's _got_ to have a _future_. I can't bear to think about what will happen if..."

"Then it's settled," Leo says. "We'll stay here a week so that Annie can recover. And as soon as we get home, we start tracking the others."

* * *

><p>As Leo speaks again, I cradle my daughter closer to my chest. Cade starts whimpering again and Raph moves to go get her bottle. I latch onto his wrist with my free hand. I don't want him leaving my side right now. I feel like I'm going to fall apart.<p>

Raphael sits back down and pulls me closer, rubbing Cade's shell. Don disappears into the kitchen and brings out Cade's bottle, handing it wordlessly to me. I try to smile at him, but I can't.

As soon as the purple-masked turtle and my sister settle at the workbench again, Raph puts his hand under my chin, making me look at him. "What's bothering you, Annaleigh?"

"How can we even be sure that we'll win, Raph?" I ask, tearing up. "I can't stand it. Kn-knowing that Cade will d-die too." My husband gently wipes my tears away.

When he answers, his voice is firm, but as gentle as his hand on my cheek, "Annaleigh Sora Hamato. We _will_ win. We _will_ stop them. This isn't the first time that my bros, our father, and I have been outnumbered. If the _five_ of us were able to beat the Shredder in his own headquarters, then a small army of mutants can _definitely_ take down the FOH. Cade will live a long, happy life if I have anything to say about it."

I decide to change the subject. If we keep talking about this, I _will_ fall apart. "I wish Daddy could be here." I say quietly. "I wish he could have met you and our baby." This isn't a good topic either, but at least I'm not about to go hysterical.

Raph kisses my temple, "I know, Wildcat. I know."

I kiss my husband softly. Both of us turn our attention to our newborn daughter. Just watching her.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	60. Warning

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to Purple 'N' Blue Wings, The Silent Hunter, syzygy101, and superman15857 for reviewing!  
><em>

* * *

><p>Since my wife had just had our baby only a week ago, I'd decided to take it easy on her. Biggest mistake of my life. I grunt as my shell hits the ground, <em>hard<em>, for the... _Shell._ I've forgotten how many times Annaleigh's flattened me today.

_How the shell is she even doing this?_ Meditation is the only thing my Wildcat's practiced since she found out she was pregnant. Which was seven _months_ ago. When she'd first refused to spar with me, the day she'd found out, I'd chalked it up to her not feeling well. Now that I look back on it, I can't see how the shell none us turtles managed to put two and two together before she told us. It was so _obvious_.

Annaleigh kneels next to me, her stormy blue eyes full of concern, "You okay, _di hi_?"

I grunt again. "Yeah. At least, I think so."

"I wasn't too rough, was I?"

I almost answer her but end up glaring when I see the smirk on her face and hear Mikey's laughter. As soon as my wife had made it clear this morning that we were sparring today, Mike had offered to watch Cade for us. Now I know why. I can't kill him if he's holding my kid.

I should have left my daughter in the house with her Uncle Donnie and Aunt Amie. But, like my wife, I can't bear to let her out of my sight for long. I don't want my Wildcat finding out, but this whole thing with the FOH... I'm worried too. When Aaron had told us their plans, I'd immediately imagined a baby's grave... No way am I telling Annaleigh that. It'll only upset her more. Sensei only knows about it 'cause I'd needed to tell _someone_.

My wife laughs at my glare and leans down to kiss me, her long auburn hair falling around my head like a curtain. "Eww! Look away, Cade," Mikey chirps up. I sit up to see him with his hand over my daughter's eyes. Whose little face is scrunching up, tiny hands curling into fists. Oh boy, has he done it now...

Cade starts crying. _Hard_. Even for a newborn baby, she's very clear about what she doesn't like. And she doesn't like people covering her eyes. I think it scares her.

"Uh, Raphie? Annie?" Mikey says, panicking. Normally, he's perfectly fine with kids. He can even handle one of Shadow's temper tantrums. But not Cade's. The only thing that calms my daughter down when she gets _this_ mad, is me or her momma.

I lunge to my feet, beating my wife to Mike and taking my tiny daughter from him. I lay her against my shoulder and pat her shell. "Shh, Cade. It's okay. Daddy's got ya, sweetie," I murmur. And Cade instantly stops, the pupils in her little green eyes turning to slits as she looks at her Uncle Mikey from the safety of my arms.

Annaleigh chuckles as she comes up to us, "I don't think she's gonna forget that, Mike. It may be awhile before she lets you hold her again."

Mikey's about to retort back when Splinter comes out of the barn, which my wife and I had been sparring in front of. His ears are flattened to his skull as he looks at me, "Is Cade all right, Raphael?"

"Yeah. She's fine, Sensei." I hand my Cade to her grandfather. "Mikey put his hand over her eyes. I think he scared her."

Mike's baby blue eyes widen, "I did? I didn't mean to. I was just playing with her," he pouts. Shell. He's really upset. And I can't stay mad at him now. Not even for his taunts earlier.

Annaleigh kisses his cheek. "It's okay, Mikey. You didn't know."

Mikey looks at me, "I'm really sorry, Raph."

I roll my eyes, "It's fine, Mike. Just don't do it again, 'kay?"

He then smiles michievously at me. Oh no. Here we go again. "I've _never_ seen you move _that_ fast, Raphie. What a soft shell you're turning out to be," he laughs.

Okay, so much for not staying mad at him. But this time, I can act on it. Mikey's baby shield is safe in Splinter's arms. So I tackle my orange-masked brother, pinning him. Before I know it, my wife's kneeling next to us. And she's found Mikey's tickle spot again. Sweet revenge!

Splinter rolls his eyes at us, but just moves farther away with his granddaughter. Probably to keep her out of harm's way in case Mike somehow manages to escape from us. Which isn't going to happen anytime soon.

* * *

><p>I <em>had<em> promised my husband several times that we'd get a certain orange-masked turtle. And I always make good on my promises. Half an hour after Raph and I tackled Mikey, the three of us are laughing so hard that we're breathless. But at least the laughing was voluntary on my and my turtle's side. I hadn't given Mikey much of a choice on the matter. He _really_ should have _never_ told me that he's ticklish.

By the time that Raphael and I finally release Mikey, he's too worn out to do much else besides sit up and pant like us. It's then that we realize that we have more than Cade and Splinter watching us. Leo's got the video camera. Did I mention that he's my favorite brother right now? Aaron and Casey are laughing so hard themselves that they look like they're about to roll. April's laughing quietly with a giggling Shadow in her arms. My guess is that Don and Amie are still inside, enjoying the peace and quiet. The only thing that would make this better is if Daddy was here...

But I can't dwell on that. We're going home today.

On the ride home this time, I'm not telling any Cherokee stories. My husband and I are too busy taking turns singing to Cade. Who doesn't like her carseat at all. Don, who's driving again with Amie next to him, was right. She's spoiled rotten already.

Raph looks at me from his side of our daughter's seat, his amber eyes clearly begging me to let him take our baby out of that torture device. He's never been able to bear hearing her cry like this. Hence the reason why he'd run to her rescue earlier. Only a week old and Cade already has her daddy firmly wrapped around her little fingers.

I smile at him, "She's fine, _di hi_. She's already starting to calm down." Cade yawns hugely, adding emphasis to my point. And making her daddy chuckle.

I reach over and caress his face, "Hard to believe she's already a week old, huh, babe?"

Raphael takes my hand in his and kisses it, "Yeah. And I haven't messed up yet, thankfully."

I roll my eyes, ignoring Mike's chuckling from the back seat. And trying to ignore the orange-masked turtle's cry of pain as both Splinter and Leo whack him. Poor Mikey. This just hasn't been his day.

I smile at my husband and blow him a kiss, "You're doing awesome, Daddy."

"You too, Momma."

"Oh, why don't you two just get a room already!" Without even looking, I reach behind me and manage to smack him softly on the beak.

I don't even bother to turn around, "Consider that your last warning, Michelangelo."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	61. Proposal

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to Purple 'N' Blue Wings and The Silent Hunter for reviewing!  
><em>

* * *

><p>As soon as we get home, Raphael and I start setting Cade's crib up. Since we'd been expecting Cade to wait another week before coming, her crib had stayed in the closet. Still boxed. So our baby's napping on our bed as my husband and I try to make sense of all this junk.<p>

And I'm keeping the door closed. I don't want Zeb all over my daughter. I'm about to ask Casey if he can start taking my dog to the park so he can work off all that extra energy. That, or find him a new owner. I love that mutt, but he's just not that great around kids. And my baby comes first.

Anywho, while Raph and I get down to business, Amie went to call her mutant friend from Julliard. That was about half an hour ago. Either she's still talking, or everyone else is thinking that, since our door is closed, my husband and I probably got distracted... Go figure.

But there's a soft knock on the door. I open it and Don pokes his head in. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?" See what I mean?

I shake my head. "Not unless you count your brother getting defeated by a crib..." I trail off, moving to the side so he can see Raph, who's surrounded by pieces that neither of us can make sense of. And somehow managing to keep his cool too. Must be because Cade's in the room. Having a baby has done wonders for my husband's temper. If we live through this whole FOH deal, I can definitely see us with another baby.

Don laughs quietly at his brother, earning a glare from Raphael. "If ya think this is funny, Genius, then you can do it. I'm not messing with it anymore."

The purple-masked turtle rolls his eyes, still chuckling. "Okay, I'll take care of it. But you guys need to come out here first. Amie's got some news on Holly."

"Holly?" My red-masked turtle asks as I gently pick up our slumbering Cade.

"The mutant from Julliard. Her name is Holly Porter."

"What's her ability, Don?" I ask as I walk into the Great Room.

"Ames didn't say. She just told me to get everyone together." I meet my husband's eyes, my own confused. My twin sister's normally not one to hold back on details. Especially since she and Don started dating. Like I did (and still do) with Raph, she's picking up a lot from her purple-masked beau. And Don tends to talk things through _before_ calling a meeting.

And if Amie's holding stuff back... I don't like it.

I settle down on the couch next to Mikey, whose eyes are on Cade. He'd tried holding her again right after we got home, but my daughter wasn't going to have it.

So, very slowly, I lay my sleeping Cade in his lap. She whimpers and squirms, waking up. And Mikey looks panicked. I giggle. He loves his niece to death, but he's so afraid of scaring her again. He really is a big sweetheart. I hope he finds a girl soon. One for him, and one for Leo.

"It's okay, Mike," I reassure him. "As long as she can see momma, she'll be fine." Cade has definitely been getting better about letting other people hold her, but if her daddy or I leave the room... She goes ballistic.

"You sure?"

"Positive," Raph says as he comes from the kitchen and hands Mike a bottle. "Here's this just in case. She's probably hungry."

As soon as my baby realizes who's holding her, her little pupils turn to slits and her little forehead creases. Raph talks to her as he sits next to me and she calms down, still eyeing her Uncle Mikey. But, she's allowing him to feed her. Thank goodness. The last thing I want is for my baby to be scared of her uncles. That would literally break their hearts. I'm not kidding. They all love her almost as much as Raph and I do.

Mikey breathes a sigh of relief. That's when Zeb decides to come see what the fuss is all about, trying to shove his big wet nose in Cade's face. Which only succeeds in making her mad.

Raph jerks my dog away by his collar. And Mikey looks like he's about to panic again.

I roll my eyes and sigh. See what I mean about Zeb? He belongs on a farm, _not_ with a young family.

Thankfully, my little girl is not associating that annoying dog with her orange-masked uncle. As soon as Raph pulls Zeb away, she calms back down.

I exchange a look with my husband, who nods. Two minutes later, and Zeb is shut up in our room, whining at the door. At first, I feel bad. But then I think of what might have happened if Zeb had been hyper... And I'm putting an ad in the paper tomorrow. Purebred Australian Shepherd for sale. I'm _really_ gonna miss him, but it's not worth keeping him around if it risks my baby girl's safety. Besides, I've got pictures.

The whole reason that Daddy had bought Zeb is that I would have a watchdog. Well, now that I'm surrounded by ninjas, a watchdog isn't really that necessary. And Zeb's not even ferocious. Unless you count licking people to death.

Anywho, back to the matter at hand. Amie comes in from the elevator and all our eyes are on her. Aaron comes from Raph's punching bag and sits on the arm of the couch next to Mikey, caressing his niece's arm.

"How did it go, Ames?" Donnie says as he meets her half way, putting an arm around her waist as they walk to the couch. They're so cute together.

Hard to believe it's been a year since my Raphael proposed.

What is the matter with me? I can't seem to keep my thoughts straight. Must be the late nights with Cade, since she wakes up about every hour and a half.

Raph clears his throat pointedly and Leo shoots him a disapproving glare. Normally, that would end in a fight, but, like I said, having Cade has definitely calmed my husband down a lot.

Amie rolls her eyes as she comes to stand by Splinter's chair, Don beside her. That's when I notice something. There's an amethyst ring on her left hand. _That's_ why she called us out here. And, apparently, I'm the only one who noticed.

"When did you pop the question, Donnie?" I ask. And everyone's slack-jawed faces move from my sister to the purple-masked turtle. Who is blushing something fierce as Splinter chuckles.

Amie beams. "Last night," she answers for her purple-masked beau... I mean _fiance_.

"Don't you think it's a little too fast?" Raph asks, wide-eyed. And I kind of agree with him. I mean, Raph had waited to propose four months after we'd first told each other that we loved each other. Amie had told me that she and Don _just_ exchanged their 'I love yous' only the morning after Cade was born. Which was just a week ago.

"Well, all things considered..." Don begins. I'm surprised he's even managed to get that much out. When it comes to his feelings for my sister, he gets tongue-tied _very_ easily.

"We figured that it probably would be best not to wait," Amie finishes for him. Translation: Best to do this now, since we might not live another two months.

I know my sister didn't say it that way 'cause she knows it upsets me. And I'm not gonna call her on it. And, you know what? I don't care if she and Don are having a shotgun wedding. I know they'll be happy together.

"When are you two planning the wedding for?" Leo asks, finally managing to speak up. Mikey and Aaron are both still shell-shocked. Cade's soft cooing is the only sound breaking the silence.

"In two weeks," Donnie says, finally managing to find his voice. "It was going to be next week, but Splinter talked us out of it," he finishes quietly.

I look at my husband and smirk, "Deja vu, babe. Didn't realize we had _that_ much influence on the young ones."

That breaks the ice. Everyone's laughing, including Donnie. Even though he's still blushing.

I jump up and hug both of them fiercely.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	62. 36

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter, electrogirl88, Purple 'N' Blue Wings, roudyredd, and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_One hundred reviews! You guys are so awesome!  
><em>

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><p>As soon as congratulations are given, it's back to business. <em>Shell.<em> I never knew Genius could make a move this fast. And even though I'd objected, I can't help but be happy for him and my sister-in-law. They're really good together.

Leo is the first to move the subject back to our 'battle plan,' of course. "So, sis. How did the talk with Holly go?"

Amie smiles wider, "Great! She's more than willing to help out. And she knows about four more mutants that might want to help us too."

"What's her ability, Mimi?" My wife speaks up as she settles back down next to Mikey, who's now cradling my daughter against his shoulder. Cade's out like a light again. _If only she would sleep like this at night._

"Illusions, for lack of a better word. Get this," Amie says, her smile turning to a smirk as she looks back at my Wildcat, "Holly's a vigilante like you, Nani. Calls herself, 'Anansi.'"

"Isn't that the spider trickster guy in African stories?" Mikey asks softly, trying not to wake Cade. Everyone's staring at him. Except for Annaleigh. When Mikey had won that Scrabble game so long ago, my wife (then girlfriend) had told me that she would never underestimate my orange-masked brother again. Looks like she's sticking to it.

"You're right, Mikey," Don says incredulously.

"I take it that Miss Porter is African then?" Splinter asks from his chair. Amie nods.

"Yes. She was born in South Africa and her family moved to New York when she was little."

"But why call herself 'Anansi?'" Leo asks. "You did say that she uses 'illusions.' But what _exactly_ can she do?"

"Well," Amie starts. "You guys are not going to believe this. You know that the Anansi in the stories could trick people into doing what he wanted them to do, right? Well, Holly can make a person hallucinate. All she has to do is look at someone and they see what she wants them to see."

I shiver, wrapping an arm firmly around my Annaleigh, "I'm not sure if I like that. Who's to say that she won't use that against us? She could have all us under her control." My wife's told me of the mutants down in Miami. I don't need, or want, my girl to get hurt again 'cause of us trusting the wrong person. I _still_ can't believe that she'd had to have physical therapy for a _year_ because of other mutants. If I had been with her back then, those guys would have been dead a _long_ time ago. Actually, they would have been dead even before they touched her.

And I _especially_ don't want anything to happen to our daughter. I'd rather die than let either of them get hurt.

Amie shakes her head at me from her place next to Don on the floor, "You weren't listening, Raph. She can only use her ability on _one_ person _at a time_. And she's of the same mind as Aaron, Annie, me, and you guys. She won't misuse her power."

"You're _certain_?" Aaron asks from beside Mikey. He's gazing at her intensely. "Raph's right. I won't be able to live with myself if something happens to Cade because we trusted the wrong girl." It's definitely getting _a lot_ harder to believe that he's the same guy who hit my girl.

"Scout's honor."

Leo nods, "Okay. What about the other four then? What can they do?"

Amie looks at my blue-masked brother, "Holly can't tell me. Not until they've given her permission to do so. Some of them have bad luck almost as bad as Nani's."

I don't like that. Not knowing. It's irritating the fire out of me, as my Annaleigh says. "You didn't tell her where we live, Amie?" I ask.

She rolls her eyes at me and leans more against Don, her back to his chest. "_Of course not_, Raph. You do realize that I'm not stupid, right?"

"Sorry, Amie, it's just..." my eyes go to my daughter, who's still snoozing in Mike's arms. Mikey sees my look and reaches across Annaleigh's lap to hand my baby to me. I pull Cade close to my plastron, meeting Amie's eyes again.

Her stormy blue eyes soften, "I understand, Raph. I'm sure Don and I will be the same way whenever we have our own kids." Don wraps an arm around her waist.

Mikey's about tease them. I can see it in his eyes. But Annaleigh's too fast for him. My Wildcat softly smacks the back of his head in warning. She should have hit him harder. Maybe hard enough to knock him out for a few hours. A few days would have been great too.

"_Anywho_," my wife says, turning to her brother. "Any luck with the homeless mutants, Aaron?"

"Yes. I managed to talk to their leader's sixteen year old daughter last night. Her name's Keira. She's empathic."

"Empathic?" Mikey asks, eyebrows raised. "What the shell does that mean?"

"She can read emotions, Mikey," Donnie explains.

"Oh. Kind of like a Jedi?"

Aaron nods, "Sort of. That's the reason why she was the one to meet with me. It's been a while since Amie and I have been with that particular group and a lot of the mutants we knew then have disappeared since. Keira was the only one of theirs that could sense if I was telling the truth."

"And how many mutants in her family are willing to help us?" Splinter asks, speaking up for the first time.

"Around twenty." The green-eyed man says.

"So, let's see then," Donnie says, calculating. "Eight mutants here, plus Leatherhead, Casey, and April. That's eleven. Plus Holly and her friends. That's sixteen. And then Keira and her clan. _Thirty-six_." All of us are wide-eyed. _Shell._ That's _a lot_ of mutants.

Angel had offered to stay behind and watch the girls, since we'd all refused to let her fight. I do trust her with my little girl, but I still don't like the idea of letting Cade out of my sight. I guess I'm just gonna have to deal with it.

"But the FOH averages around sixty members, not including the PDs," my wife speaks up, bringing us all back down to earth. "I hope thirty-six will be enough." I wrap my free arm around my girl, pulling her close.

"Don't forget," Mikey chirps up as my little Cade starts squirming again. Annaleigh rubs her shell and I hum softly. Our baby girl yawns and settles back down, thankfully. "They've all got powers," Mikey continues. "So that means that we've got the FOH and the PDs outnumbered."

Aaron shakes his head, "Not all of them have powers, Mike. Some of them just look different."

Splinter speaks up again, meeting each of our eyes in turn, "And, even if the majority do have powers, those special abilities mean nothing if a team cannot work together."

Leo nods, "Sensei's right. We're going to have to get together and practice." Fearless holds up a hand as I start to object. "Not anywhere near the Lair, Raph," he reassures me. Annaleigh lightly lays her hand on my thigh, trying to calm me. "We need some place that's neutral ground. Someplace where we won't be seen."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R<em>


	63. Reason

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter, superman15857, and syzygy101._

_Okay, here's a little challenge for you guys. Since I have so many mutants, I need ideas for looks and abilities. Just write them in your reviews!  
><em>

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><p>Several hours later, while Don's taking Amie back to the Jones's apartment, Raphael and I decide to hit the sack. It's still a little early, but there's no telling how much Cade's going to be up tonight. We might as well rest when we can.<p>

I chase Zeb out of our room. My husband lays our daughter down in the crib that Donnie helped him put together when Amie and I had discussed their wedding plans. I still can't believe that my turtle and I couldn't figure the darn crib out on our own. Oh well. At least we tried.

For several minutes, we just stand there, watching our baby girl sleep. This is definitely gonna take some getting used to. We're too used to Cade sleeping with us. And I can tell that Raph is already itching to take her out of prison. That's what Mikey had called it.

"I thought you said that you weren't ready for a baby, _di hi_?" I say teasingly.

My Raphael's amber eyes meet mine, "Why would you bring _that_ up now, Wildcat?"

I smile. "I just think it's kind of ironic."

Raph's brow furrows in confusion and I giggle, "Face it, babe. Our little Cade's got you _completely_ wrapped around her little fingers."

He laughs quietly, pulling me close so he can kiss me. "Not as completely as you do, Annaleigh."

Did I mention that I love him?

* * *

><p>I carefully lift the manhole cover in the alleyway behind April's shop. It's possible that the PDs are watching this place. And I don't want to risk my bride-to-be's safety. Even though Amie can take care of herself just as well as her sister can. The first time I'd seen her fight, my jaw had literally dropped. She's almost as wild as Aaron. For someone who looks like a pixie.<p>

By the way, I will _never_ call her that again. The first and _only_ time that I did, Amie had knocked me flat on my shell. She'd been _furious_. Course, Mikey and Raph had thought it was hilarious. Even Leo and Aaron had chuckled. But in my position, pinned flat on my back, it hadn't been funny at all.

"What's taking so long, Einstein?" Amie calls from below me. Without warning, I feel her fingers tickling the bottom of my foot.

And I almost fall off the ladder right then, "Ames!"

That makes her start laughing. I just grit my teeth. I love Amie more than my own life, but she sure knows how to get under my shell. "Sorry, babe," she manages to gasp out.

I climb down the ladder and wrap my arms around her waist as I kiss her. _Because_ I love her, I can never stay irritated with her.

I pull back, "Why do you do this to me, Ames?"

"'Cause your reactions are too funny, babe. And, maybe," her expression turns coy, "'cause I love you."

"Maybe?" I ask, raising my brows. She just lays her head on my shoulder and starts laughing again. I roll my eyes, "I am very glad that you find this funny."

A few minutes later and my fiancee and I are recounting the mutant news to April and Casey. Who haven't noticed the little ring on her hand. At least, Casey hasn't. April keeps eying Amie and looking at me.

"When were you guys planning on telling us?" she asks us.

"Tell us what, babe?" Casey asks his wife, completely confused. Like always. I smirk and Amie giggles. Even after all this time, I _still_ can't believe how much she sounds like her sister when she does that.

Amie fans her face with her left hand dramatically. Even though they're identical and their laughter sounds alike, Annie and my girl are _definitely_ completely different. Annie's a little reserved while Amie's almost carefree. And that was one of the things that had drawn me to her.

And Casey still doesn't get what's going on. Amie rolls her eyes, "Casey Jones. Do you not see my ring?"

I can literally see the light click on. He looks at me, "You mean you _actually_ asked her? I thought you were too scared to!"

_Casey!_ I blush fiercely and some very Raph-like thoughts come into my head. Amie starts laughing again, burying her face in my shoulder as April smacks her husband. 'Course, she's laughing too.

Shadow's the only one not making fun of me, thankfully. But that might have something to do with the fact that she's just a toddler.

"I'd better get going," I say. I don't know why everyone thinks this is funny. I wasn't afraid to ask Amie because I was chicken. I was scared to ask her because I didn't want to push her away. I didn't want to lose her by being too abrupt. Now that I look back on it, I'd never needed to worry.

But I just wish that everyone would quit laughing.

I'm halfway down the stairs when I hear Amie's cat-like footsteps behind me. I turn around and she wraps her arms around my waist, hugging me tightly, "You do realize that I wasn't laughing at you, Donnie."

"Sure didn't sound like that, Ames." I say quietly. I just want to go home.

She pulls away just far enough to look at me, her face just inches from mine, "Donatello Hamato. You'd better not be getting cold feet on me."

I know she's trying to cheer me up, but it's not working. "Of course I'm not, Amie. But the way I feel about you is no laughing matter."

Amie rolls her eyes and shakes her head, "We weren't laughing at that, Don. We were laughing at how you act around me."

I raise my brows, "Oh, and how do I act?"

She giggles, "Like a lovesick puppy, babe."

Now it's my turn to roll my eyes, "Great. Now I'm a _dog_." _Fantastic._

Amie puts both of her hands on either side of my face, her blue eyes gazing into my hazel ones, "Listen to me, Donatello. There's no one else better for me than you. You are the most tenderhearted guy I know. That's why that kind of teasing bothers you so much. But it's also the main reason why I fell for _you_."

I can't move. I can't think. I can barely breathe. Amie always knows just what to say to leave me completely tongue-tied. At least I'm not stuttering anymore.

She giggles at me. "Oh, by the way..."

"Yeah, Ames?" I ask, barely intelligible.

She kisses me softly then lays her head on my shoulder, "I love you."

"L-love you t-too." _So much for not stuttering._

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	64. Anansi

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to roudyredd, superman15857, and syzygy101 for reviewing!  
><em>

_Got your thinking caps on? Good. I need you to share your ideas for the mutants! The suggestions so far are pretty good. ;)  
><em>

* * *

><p>"You're selling Zeb?" I ask Annie, my blue eyes going wide. I thought she loved that dog. <em>Guess not.<em> "Why?"

My sister-in-law rolls her eyes as she lightly bounces a fussy Cade, "Mikey. Quit whining. Zeb is _way_ too hyper. One of these days, he's _going_ to hurt your niece. Do you really want that to happen?"

Absolutely not! I'm hurt that she even has to ask that. And I guess Annie can see that. 'Cause she lays Cade in my arms. "This is hard for me too, Mike. Daddy gave me Zeb when I turned seventeen."

Her voice changes a little bit with that last sentence. She _still_ hasn't gotten over losing her dad. "Hey Annie?"

"Yeah, bro?"

I smile. She'd picked that up from me! "Want to play some video games with me?"

She giggles, "You know I'm no good at those things, Mikey." My face falls. "But I'll watch if you play the Jango Fett one."

I perk up and she laughs. Annie kisses my cheek. "Thanks, Mike."

"Anything for my favorite sister."

She rolls her eyes and chuckles, "Okay, Mike. Let me get a bottle for Cade first. Then let the gaming begin!"

Annie's definitely loosened up since she married Raph. And, no matter how much I _still_ tease them, I'm _really_ glad they ended up together.

"Shell yeah, sis!"

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Leo and I come in from our patrol. And I'm looking forward to some peace and quiet with my wife and baby.<p>

"No, Mike!" My Annaleigh's voice says. "Not that way! The other way! Go the other way!"

_What the shell?_ I look at Leo, who's face is just as confused as mine. But, as soon as we get passed the doorway, I can understand what's going on. Mike's playing some Star Wars video game. And my girl's _helping_ him by telling him what to do.

Splinter's meditating. Probably trying to block the two of them out.

And Aaron's at work. Casey had managed to help him get a job.

Donnie's holding my Cade with one hand as he pores over some kind of blueprint in his Lab. Amie has a late class today so she'd already been over here before she had to go to work. Which had been way before I even woke up this morning. Around six, I think.

And I guess Amie still hasn't called Genius yet. 'Cause as soon as her class gets over, I think we're supposed to go with her to meet Holly.

As soon as I make it inside, Annaleigh's head whips around and she smiles at us, blowing me a kiss. As Leo goes to relieve Don of my kid, I make my way to my wife. She meets me halfway and kisses me. "How was patrol, _di hi_?" Mike's too engrossed in his game to pay us any mind.

"Fine. Still no sign of the FOH."

Leo comes up to us, cradling a sleeping Cade against his shoulder. "I think they're trying to keep us from capturing one of them," he says softly.

Annaleigh nods, "They don't want us to have someone to interrogate."

"But why are the FOH the only ones that disappeared?" Mikey asks from the couch, his game paused and his full attention on us. Even Donnie's looking up from his papers.

"'Cause the FOH aren't like the PDs," Annaleigh says.

Donnie comes over to us, "What do you mean, Annie? How are they different from the Purple Dragons?"

My Wildcat starts absently braiding a few strands of her auburn hair. She doesn't like talking about this. And I can't blame her. But, my bros are right to ask. We need to know. For Cade's sake.

"Well, Aaron told me that they're different in that they all work together. Every member knows the plan. In a way, they're all just as important as the leader."

"But Hun likes bullying," Mikey put in.

"Pretty much, yeah," my wife says. "Is there anything else you guys want to know?" she asks, her tone clearly saying that she doesn't want to talk about this anymore.

Zeb chooses this moment to bound over to her and she turns her attention to the mutt, trying to calm him down. When she'd told me that she was gonna sell him, I hadn't believed it. Not at first. But when the dumb dog kept insisting on getting in my little daughter's face... I've had enough of him, too.

Don's phone goes off and he answers it quickly, "Hey, Ames." He goes off to his room to talk with her so Mikey can't pick on him.

Our orange-masked brother's been zeroing in on Don, hardly giving him room to breathe. It got worse two nights ago. Genius had come home completely flustered, he'd barely been able to get two words out. Which had Mikey doubled over laughing.

And Mikey would be laughing right now too if Splinter and Annaleigh weren't glaring at him. Leo rolls his eyes, softly humming to Cade. Who's now wide awake and wants her bottle.

"I'll take her, Fearless." As soon as I say that, Cade calms down just a little, still fussing as she tries to turn her little head so her green eyes can find me.

Annaleigh chuckles as she goes to get a bottle out, "She is _definitely_ Daddy's girl."

"I agree," Sensei says as he pulls out the formula for my wife. Leo smiles as he goes to practice again while Mikey chuckles and turns back to his video game.

* * *

><p>An hour later and Amie, Annie, Raph, Don, Mikey, and myself are on the roof overlooking the pier where this 'Holly' is supposed to meet us. But no one's there.<p>

"Amie, I thought you said-"

"Give it a rest, Leo. We're _early_. She won't be here for another minute or two. And," she goes cat-eyed on me, "I've already told you that at least a dozen times." Don's eying me, clearly not happy that I'm upsetting his fiancee.

"I'm sorry, sis. It's just that-"

"Just that you like to know what's going on," Amie finishes for me. Mikey chuckles and I glare at him.

"Enough you guys. Leo, quit acting like my husband," Annie says, a smirk on her face. Raph rolls his eyes.

"Wildcat," he says softly. Annie ignores him, adjusting the mask that she hasn't worn since she found out that she was pregnant with Cade. She's really been looking forward to being Leopard again. Even though I know it was hard for her to leave her baby with Splinter. Raph hadn't handled that very well either.

I'm distracted from my thoughts when a tanned girl with dark red hair sticks her head out of an alleyway. _Wait a second..._ "Amie, I thought you said that Holly was African?"

Said woman rolls her eyes, "She _is_. Holly's from South Africa. There's white people there too, Leo."

Annie chuckles, following her sister as she leaps down the fire escape. Because of their mutations, my sisters-in-law and their brother are naturally _a lot_ more graceful than we could ever hope to be. Except when Annie has her klutzy moments.

And it's _really_ hard to believe that Annie just had a baby nine days ago.

Holly makes her way toward us. I've never seen _anyone_ dressed like her before. Except in the movies. She's wearing a loose blouse tucked into tight black capris. And she carries herself differently than my siblings. Like she's not afraid of anything. Well, if I could make people hallucinate, I probably would act the same way.

I don't like her one bit.

Maybe Amie's right. Maybe I just want to control the situation.

But I still don't like Anansi.

* * *

><p><em>The Jango Fett game is Star Wars Bounty Hunter. Which is a pretty awesome game, I might add. Never played. Just like watching it.<em>

_Please R&R._


	65. Trying

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to Emily-twilight and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_If you have any ideas for my mutants, please let me know! Just write it in your review. Thanks to superman15857 for the invisible mutant idea.  
><em>

_**Happy Thanksgiving!  
><strong>_

* * *

><p>I position myself a little in front of my wife, who growls irritably. Annaleigh hates it when I get overprotective. Well, she's just gonna have to deal with it. I'm already nervous about being so far from Cade.<p>

My daughter had started squalling when we'd started to leave. If Leo hadn't dragged me away, I would have gone to her rescue. Even my Wildcat had looked like she was going to stay.

Just thinking about my little girl right now is almost enough to make me want to book it back to the Lair. Yeah, I've gone on patrol since my Cade was born, but her momma was always there with her.

I turn my attention to Anansi. Who looks a lot like someone from those Pirate movies. A couple of inches taller than us with a Robin-style mask covering her eyes. Nothing really African about her all.

Except her accent. Same one that Matt Damon uses in Invictus. "So, this is your family, Amie."

My sister-in-law beams at her from Don's side, "Yep." She introduces us, "Holly, these are the Hamatos. Leonardo and Michelangelo. Raphael and his wife, my sister Annaleigh, aka Leopard." Amie links her fingers with Genius's, "And this is my fiance, Donatello."

Holly smiles, "My pleasure." She steps a little closer to us and Leo's fist clenches. What's bugging him?

"Now," Anansi says, "down to business. What exactly are we up against?"

Fearless takes the lead, explaining to Holly everything we know about the FOH's plans. In complete detail, too. Anansi's full attention is on him.

When my blue-masked brother finishes, Holly is quiet for a minute before she responds, "Okay, we're in."

"We?" Mikey asks from beside me.

Anansi nods, "I talked with my friends before I came here. They want to help too."

* * *

><p>An hour later and the six of us are headed home. I stick close to my husband. Even though he's irritating the fire out of me right now, I can understand. Whenever we leave the Lair, something usually happens to me.<p>

And both of us are not happy being this far away from our daughter.

As soon as we make it to the Lair, I nod to Splinter and manage to beat Raphael to our room. Cade's fast asleep in her crib and I breathe a sigh of relief. Don't get me wrong, I trust Splinter. I'm just never going to get used to letting my baby out of my sight.

I turn and push Raph out before he can scoop Cade up. She's safe. There's no need to wake her. My husband's amber eyes look betrayed and I can't help but giggle. I kiss his cheek, "She's fine, Daddy. Breathe."

He rolls his eyes at me and pulls me in for a proper kiss. He hates it when I kiss his cheek. Excuse me, I meant when I miss his mouth.

We make it out to the others in the dojo just as Aaron walks out of the elevator. He pulls his boots off and comes over to us, gathering both Amie and I into one of his bear hugs.

"Bad day, Aaron?" I ask.

He nods, "I'll tell you guys later. How did the meeting with Anansi go?"

Amie pecks his cheek, "Better than I'd hoped. All five of them are with us. Holly even told us all of their abilities. Get this. One of them can turn invisible."

He raises his brows, green eyes wide, "Seriously?"

That's when Cade starts crying. Raph goes to 'rescue' her while I go to the kitchen to get her bottle, Aaron right behind me. He takes the formula from me and mixes up the bottle himself.

"Aaron, what happened?"

He shakes his head, "I got laid off."

I gasp, "But, how? You _just_ started today!"

He growls, but not at me. He's beyond frustrated. "I _know_. The guy I'm working under is a thief."

"But what does that have to do with you?"

Raph comes up to us, bouncing Cade. As soon as he sees our expressions, his becomes worried. "What's going on?"

"My supervisor is a crook, that's what. He got found out and framed me." He clenches his left hand into a fist and brings it down softly onto the counter, "And no one believed the new guy."

"You got fired?"

Aaron rolls his eyes at my husband, exasperated, "Yes, Raph. That tends to happen when the boss gets mad. It's going to take me _forever_ to get a job now."

I lay my hand gently on his arm, "You can take my job at the shop, Aaron."

He hands the bottle to Raphael, then pinches the bridge of his nose, "I can't do that to you, sis. The two of you need that money for Cade."

"I'm still working that tech job, Aaron," Donnie says from behind me. Amie, Leo, and Mikey must still be telling Master Splinter about the meeting with Anansi. "That makes more than enough to take care of Cade."

"Yes, but what about you and Amie, Don?" Aaron asks. "What's going to happen when she gets pregnant?"

Don blushes, "The wedding is still two weeks away and-"

"And Amie could get pregnant on your wedding night, Donnie. That kind of stuff tends to ambush ya. I should know," I interject. "Look guys, I'm perfectly capable of finding another job." I'm surprised that my husband has managed to stay quiet through all of this. "And even if I can't, I still have that money that Daddy left me. And the money I made from selling the apartment. We'll be fine, Aaron."

My brother hugs me tightly, "I still can't do that to you, Annie." He pulls away, "Please don't offer again. I'll figure something out, okay?" He walks away to Leo's room, where he's been staying since he came back.

I just stand there. I'm as devastated as Aaron. Just when my brother finally decided to get his life back on track, this has to happen.

I don't even notice Raphael handing Cade to her Uncle Donnie. My red-masked turtle wraps his arms around me from behind and I lean against him.

"Why Aaron, Raph? He's trying so _hard_." I turn in my husband's arms and wrap my arms around his neck. We're alone in the kitchen now. "He doesn't deserve this."

"I know, Annaleigh. Trust me, I know. But if you'd let me, I could go in there and teach both his bosses some manners," he finishes, raising his brows questioningly.

I laugh. "Only you would be so eager to bust some heads." I kiss him. "Thanks, _di hi_. Love you."

"Anytime, Wildcat. And right back at ya."

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	66. Telekenesis

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to electrogirl88 for reviewing!_

_Okay, any more ideas for mutants?  
><em>

* * *

><p>"Shh, Cade. Uncle Donnie's coming to get you," I murmur to my fussy niece from my bed. Raph and Annie had looked exhausted when we got home earlier. So, I'd figured that I would watch Cade for tonight, give them a break. I had no clue what I was getting myself into. Cade's been up every hour. Must be because she knows that she's in my room and not with her parents.<p>

Raph had told me to get him if I couldn't calm her. But, like I said, my brother and his wife need a break. And I might as well get some practice. Like Aaron and Annie had pointed out, who knows when I'll have my own kid.

I scoop my niece up out of her playpen and lay back down on my bed with her on my chest. No sense in getting a bottle since she just had one. Cade squirms, still whimpering.

I pat her shell and hum to her. "Uncle Donnie's right here, Cade. You're fine."

But it's not me she wants. Looks like I'm gonna have to wake Raph after all.

I stand up, careful not to jostle Cade too much. As soon as I walk out of my room, I can see the T.V.s are still on. And muted. Apparently, someone else can't sleep either. Must be Aaron.

As soon as I come up to the couch, I can see that I'm right. Aaron is stretched out on the couch, lip-reading whatever soap's on.

I lightly bounce Cade, who's decided to stop whimpering now that I'm up. "Aaron."

He jumps, turning his head to me, "What the heck, Don? You _trying_ to give me a heart attack?"

I chuckle softly, "Sorry, bro. I thought you'd hear me." That's when I notice his expression. "You're still upset about what happened," I state quietly.

He sits up to make room for me. I settle next to him, careful not to wake my niece who's _finally_ decided to go back to sleep.

"Hard not to be, Don." He pounds his fist lightly on the cushion, "I was minding my own business. And that... that..." His jaw clenches in frustration.

"We'll figure this out, Aaron. You're not in this alone."

His expression becomes shamed. "I don't deserve your help. I deserved to have this happen to me."

He's _still_ upset over the way he treated Annie.

I put my free hand on his shoulder, "Aaron. What happened in the past... That's over. Even Raph's forgotten about it. And you know how hard-headed he is."

Aaron chuckles, "Well, when you put it that way..." But he sobers quickly, "It still doesn't mean that _I_ can forget it."

"We've all got things we're ashamed of Aaron. Take Leo, for example. He knocked Raph over the side of a building because he bought the Shredder's lies. Lucky for us, Raph's a quick thinker."

Aaron's green eyes are surprised, "You _are_ talking about my hot-headed brother-in-law, right?"

I try very hard not to laugh. I do _not_ want Cade awake again, at least for a while. "Surprisingly, yes."

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about me now, would ya?" Raph says.

_Busted._ I guess my red-masked brother missed his daughter as much as Cade missed him.

* * *

><p>I wake to the bed jostling. I open my eyes in time to see Raph slip under the covers, "What's up, <em>di hi<em>?" I ask groggily.

"Nothing, Annaleigh. Cade kept Donnie up."

I giggle, "And Daddy came to the rescue."

I can see his eyes roll, "Not exactly. Genius actually managed to get her to calm down."

I scoot over and lay my head on my husband's chest and his arms wrap around me. "Then why is our baby in her crib and not in Don's room?"

"How did you know that I brought Cade in here?" he asks, his voice surprised.

"My sense of smell, babe. You married another mutant, remember?" I say teasingly.

He chuckles, "Yeah, I remember."

"Then why...?"

"'Cause Don's talking to Aaron."

I was not expecting that. I prop myself up on my elbows on his chest, my hair falling around his face. "What the shell is Aaron doing up, babe?"

He caresses a lock of my hair, then twirls it in his fingers. "He's still upset about getting fired."

I know there's more. "What else, Raphael." I only use that tone when I know he's holding something back. Or when he's in trouble with me.

Raph winces. He _hates_ it when I use that tone. "He's still mad at himself for hitting you, Annaleigh."

I lay back down, "That was _over_ a year ago, _di hi_. And he's changed _a lot_ since then."

Raphael wraps his arms back around me, "That's what I told him. But he's not gonna listen to me."

I try to pull out of his arms to go to my brother, but my Raph's arms tighten around me. "Don's with him, Sweetheart. You'd better go back to sleep. No telling _when_ Cade's going to wake up again, Wildcat."

I kiss him softly and lay my head back on his chest. Falling asleep to his heartbeat.

* * *

><p>The night after Aaron lost his job I'm following quickly behind him. Both of my orange nunchuks in my hands. After all that Annie's told us that those other mutants did to her, and after seeing some of her scars, I'm not gonna get caught off guard.<p>

When Aaron had suggested that I be the only one to go with him to meet again with Keira, Leo hadn't been too happy. He's already not too happy about Anansi. Wonder what that was all about? Maybe he likes Holly and doesn't know it yet? If Fearless does like her, then that means another golden opportunity for me!

I'm too focused on how I'm going to blackmail my blue-masked brother that I don't even notice that Aaron's stopped until I run smack-dab into him. So much for not getting caught off guard. _Aw man!_

"Mikey! For once, can't you just pay attention?" Aaron growls irritably. Nothing like the growl he'd given me the night we first met him, though. More like a _very_ bass version of the growl Klunk uses when he's playing.

"Sorry, Ron," I say. Aaron rolls his eyes. He _hates_ being called 'Ron.' With a passion. Which is why I like to use that little nickname. A lot. I think I'm starting to wear it out, though. It doesn't look like it bothers him that much anymore. Guess I'll just have to find something else that bugs him.

I'm about to say something when I suddenly feel my feet being swept out from under me. It's like the Foot Tech Ninja all over again!

"Toby! That's enough!" Aaron calls out. Toby? _Who the shell is Toby?_

"That had better be you, Aaron," a boy's voice says. But I don't know from where. This is getting really freaky!

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	67. Crush

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to The Silent Hunter, superman15857, and Purple 'N' Blue Wings for reviewing!_

_And thanks for the awesome ideas!_

_Btw, my Clone Wars fic is now up! It's called Aliit__. Check it out!  
><em>

* * *

><p>"You alright, Mikey?" Aaron asks as he helps me up.<p>

"Yeah, Dude. I'm fine. Just totally freaked!"

Aaron chuckles, "I know what you mean. But Toby-"

"Toby doesn't mean it. He's just a kid," a voice says from the alley behind me.

I turn, both nunchuks whirling. "Come out with your hands up!" I say, trying to use my best cop impersonation. My voice squeaks.

Aaron puts a hand over his face. "I should have asked Don to come," he mumbles to himself.

"Heard that, _Ron_."

Before he can snap back at me, a girl, maybe a year or two younger than me comes cautiously out of the alleyway. A little boy right behind her. _Wait. How the shell did a little kid knock me down?_

Toby, if that's what his name is, is clinging to the girl's leg, trying to pull her back. She turns and kneels, trying to comfort him.

"Mike," Aaron whispers. "Put the nunchuks away. You're scaring him."

"Me? Scare him?" I squeak. "He knocked me over without even touching me!"

Aaron rolls his eyes, "_Because_ you're scaring him. Now. Put those away."

I gulp. "O-okay. But if I die, I'm haunting you!"

Aaron rolls his eyes, "You're not going to die, Michelangelo." He shakes his head. "Man, Annie wasn't kidding."

"What? What was Annie not kidding about?"

"Shut up, Mike."

The girl comes over to us, her little brother (At least, I guess he's her little brother. They do look a lot alike. Same hair, same coffee-colored skin.), watching from their alley.

"Sorry about Toby," she says, tucking curly, black, shoulder-length hair behind her ear. "He tends to get carried away when he's scared," she says, eying me. I can tell that she is _not_ happy with me. She turns to Aaron, "What's the big idea bringing a weapon happy salamander anyway?"

"_Turtle_," I say, forgetting about being freaked out. "I'm a _turtle_. T-U-R-T-L-E. Say it with me: Turtle."

She giggles and I find myself laughing with her. Aaron looks from me to her, completely stumped. Shell. _I_ don't even know what's going on.

"Keira." Aaron says impatiently. She turns back to him. That's when I notice her eyes are _violet_! Who the shell has _violet_ eyes? I'm about to freak out again!

Keira sobers quickly at his tone, "Sorry, Aaron. You wanted to know our numbers."

"Wait a sec," I say, jumping in. "I thought there was twenty of you?"

Keira nods, "Of _my_ clan, there is. But I managed to talk to another group."

"Which group?" Aaron asks suspiciously (And, yes. I _do_ know what that word means!). Keira stiffens, as if she can feel what he's feeling...

I get the urge to smack my forehead. She's empathic. Duh!

"I don't think you know them, Aaron. They move around a lot. Right now, they're living in Hell's Kitchen."

"Isn't that where Daredevil's supposed to live?" I ask, trying to break the tension. Aaron doesn't look too happy right now. I wonder why?

Keira cocks her head at me, confused, "Who's Daredevil?"

"You mean you don't know who Daredevil is?" I squeak out.

Keira giggles, "I can guess from how offended your emotions are that this guy must be pretty important."

"He's only one of the coolest superheroes ever!"

Aaron rolls his eyes, lightly smacking the back of my head. "Bozo here likes reading comic books," he explains.

Keira smiles. Actually, I think that's a smirk, "So your name's Bozo? Seems to me that it fits perfectly." _Aw shell! That is NOT funny!_

Aaron starts laughing and I roll my eyes. "_No_," I say. "My name's _Michelangelo_! Not _Bozo_!"

Keira's dark forehead furrows, "Like the Renaissance Sculptor?

"_Yes_!" Aaron's still laughing. I _still_ don't think that was funny, by the way! "But you can call me, Mikey. Everybody else does. Except for-"

Aaron slaps a hand over my mouth, completely quiet now. His green eyes are glaring at me. I must have really done it this time. _Uh oh._

I push his hand off my face and change tactics, "Wait. How did you know that I was named after a sculptor when you don't even know who Daredevil is?"

Keira chuckles at me, "The Professor taught me when I was littler."

_It's a small world after all!_ "We know-"

"Mike," Aaron says sharply. "We don't have time for this. Everyone else is waiting on us. Do you _seriously_ want Leo to explode on you?" Now, Raph is usually the one doing the exploding. But there's nothing scarier than Fearless losing it. Except for when Sensei gets furious.

I jump back to what we're _supposed_ to be talking about. "Right. How many?" I ask, turning back to Keira. Who's at least four inches shorter than me. I'm not kidding! If she wasn't so petite, I would have thought that she was a dwarf!

She looks to Aaron who nods before she can speak, "Yeah, Keira. He's _always_ like this."

Keira rolls her violet eyes, "Six."

Aaron's eyes go cat and he narrows them, "And they're not going to cause any trouble?"

Keira shakes her head, "If they were planning to, I would have felt it."

That's when Toby gets brave. He runs out of the alley and starts pulling his sister back by her hand, "We gotta go, Kiki. It's getting late!"

"Just a minute, Toby," she says, pulling him close to her side. "We're almost done. Five minutes, tops. Okay?"

The little boy glares at me, which I think is kind of funny now that he's not tripping me without touching me. I smile at him. Toby just glares right back.

Keira squeezes his shoulders, "Toby, be nice." She looks back up at Aaron, "So, any plans on where and when we're all going to meet up at?"

Aaron nods, "Yes. Central Park. A week from today at midnight."

She nods, "Okay. We'll all be there." Keira beams at me, "See ya then, Mikey."

As soon as we're several rooftops away, Aaron starts chuckling.

"What?"

He shakes his head, "Nothing, Mikey." Sure didn't sound like nothing! In fact, it sounded the farthest away from nothing that someone can get! If that even makes sense. It does to me!

"I think you've got yourself an admirer," Annie's brother says, teasingly.

"Uh, in case you didn't notice, _Ron_, what Toby was doing is _not_ called _admiring_! It's called _glaring_!"

Aaron rolls his green eyes, still chuckling, "Not _Toby_, Mike." He leans against a gargoyle, "Didn't you notice the way _Keira_ was watching you?"

I start laughing, "Funny, Aaron. _Real_ funny."

But when I look back up at him, his face is _serious_. "Mikey, that girl's _definitely_ got a crush on you. A _huge_ one."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	68. Wobbly

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. _Big thanks to The Silent Hunter and Emily-twilight for reviewing!_  
><em>

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><p>It's midnight and I just got up to get Cade a bottle when Mike and Aaron walk in. Chucklehead looks a little distracted. More than usual. Mikey just walked right past me and into the wall. Okay, something's up.<p>

Aaron's chuckling as he takes my little Cade from me. "Since you're laughing, I don't think Bonehead got hurt," I say as Mikey finally makes it to his room. Running into his doorframe first.

My brother-in-law shakes his head, his green eyes gleaming, "No, he didn't, Raph. Keira has a crush on him. He's been running into things ever since I pointed that out to him. Good thing is, that it's managed to shut him up."

I can't help it, I start laughing. Only stopping when Annaleigh wraps her arms around my waist from behind, scaring me out of my shell again.

She giggles and lays her head against my shoulder, "What's so funny, babe?"

"Mike's got himself a girlfriend," Aaron says, chuckling at me now. I glare, but that only makes him laugh harder.

My wife moves to stand beside me and I wrap an arm around her, "When did this happen?"

"Well, it hasn't happened yet. Keira's crushing on him," I point out. Cade chooses this moment to cry louder.

My Wildcat takes our baby from her brother and the bottle from me. I caress my daughter's forehead, "Sorry, Sweetie. Daddy didn't mean to forget you."

I look up, and Aaron's already halfway to Leo's room. How the _shell_ do they do it?

Annaleigh laughs at my expression, "That will _never_ get old, _di hi_.

I roll my eyes as I kiss her.

* * *

><p>A week later, my husband and I are sparring while we wait to head out to meet with the other mutants. I still can't believe we've managed to gather <em>forty-two<em> people in just two weeks. I just hope it'll be enough. Who knows how many people the FOH has on their side.

It's even harder to believe that my baby is two weeks old. She's already gotten just a little bit bigger.

Amie and Donnie are talking quietly in Don's Lab. They must be getting jittery with their wedding less than seven days away.

Splinter's got Mikey doing some katas. Keeping him away from my sister and her fiance, more like.

And Aaron's channel-surfing. He's been antsy ever since Keira told him about those Hell's Kitchen mutants.

Right now, Cade's on her tummy on a blanket on the floor. Leo had laid her down there when she'd fallen asleep so that he could read. But Cade's not sleeping now. She holds her wobbly head up for just a minute. I freeze and Raph follows my gaze, taking a breath when he sees what our daughter's doing. Cade coos at her Uncle Leo, who's sitting on the floor next to her, before dropping her head back down. And even though she only lifted her head and didn't pull up on her arms, I'm still a little worried. I know I shouldn't be. Even though she looks a lot like Raph, Cade inherited a lot from me too. Including some of my mutation. Which means that she's gonna develop a little faster than normal.

"Good job, Cade," Leo murmurs softly, and my baby lifts her head again, still very wobbly. This time she's looking right at her daddy. Who still hasn't moved from his spot. Which makes me and Leo laugh.

Leo scoops my daughter up and brings her over to me. I pull her close and kiss her forehead, "What a big girl, Cade!"

Raph shakes his head before taking our baby from me. His amber eyes are worried as he holds Cade close. Leo's expression mirrors his.

I can hear Aaron coming up behind me. "What's wrong?" he asks us.

Leo speaks up, "Cade's holding her head up on her own. I don't think she should be doing that. Not yet, anyway."

Aaron rolls her eyes, "I've told you guys before. That's nothing to worry about. Annie, you and Amie were both _crawling_ at three months. Cade's just taking after her momma. She's fine."

All three of us breath sighs of relief.

* * *

><p>"Okay, Angel. You've got my and Annaleigh's phone numbers. Cade's formula-"<p>

"Is on the shelf next to Master Splinter's teabags. And her bottles are next to the mugs. I know, Raph. You've already told me. About a _hundred_ times!"

_Shell. She's right._ I'm starting to sound like one of those mothers on Splinter's soaps. Good thing Mike's too preoccupied with figuring out what he's going to say when he sees Keira. Otherwise, I'll never hear the end of this.

That's when April and Casey come into the Lair. Eighteen month old Shadow runs straight to me and wraps her little arms around my leg, "Rap!"

Angel chuckles as I pick the toddler up, "Not _Rap_, Shade. _Raph_."

Her little blue eyes look right at me, "Rap." I roll my eyes and shake my head. No sense in fighting a losing battle. I kiss her temple, "Whatever, Shade."

Then the little girl sees Mikey. "Rooish!" she squeals. Don't know why, but he's _always_ been her favorite turtle.

At least the nickname she's given me actually _sounds_ like my name. Mike laughs and takes the little girl from me, tossing her above his head and making her laugh uncontrollably.

Amie comes up with a whimpering Cade. Whose little head is turning every which way, her green cat eyes trying to find me.

"Thanks, Amie," I say as I take my daughter from my sister-in-law. I'm a little uneasy, leaving her here with Angel. Especially after the scare Cade had given us earlier. Even though I now know that this kind of stuff is normal for her, I'm still not gonna get over it.

Annaleigh comes up to us, braiding her hair back before tying her silver mask on. As soon as she's done, she pulls me to the side.

"I don't like leaving Cade any more than you do, _di hi_. But if we keep hovering over our daughter like this, we're not going to help her. She'll be fine with Angel, babe."

"I know, Wildcat. But-"

"If we come 'running to the rescue' every time she whimpers, we're doing her more harm than good, Raph. Cade's _got_ to learn that she's safe with the rest of the family too."

No matter how much I don't like it, I know my wife's right. Our baby girl needs to learn to trust her family. That's not gonna happen if I'm holding her every second. I still don't like it, though. I sigh and relinquish our baby to her. Annaleigh gives me a quick kiss before taking Cade to Angel.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	69. Crowd

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101 for reviewing!  
><em>

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><p>I'm astonished at how many mutants actually turned up, my brown eyes widening behind my blue mask. Aside from us, Splinter, the girls, Aaron, Leatherhead, and Casey and April, there are thirty-two. Mikey probably would have been pumping his fists if he wasn't trying to keep himself from tripping in front of Keira.<p>

I stiffen when Holly makes her way to me. I'd thought I'd gotten over that, now that Amie's told me more about her. But something about Anansi... I don't know. It's just that being around the woman puts me on edge.

Keira, who's hanging onto every word Mikey says, stiffens. And I try to bring my emotions back under control. I don't want to scare off Mike's potential girlfriend.

Annie squeals as she runs into the arms of an older mutant, Raph right behind her. "Tom! I'd thought that I'd never see you again!"

The older man, older than the FOH guy Donnie told us about that taunted my sister-in-law, hugs her tightly, "Same here, Little Ann."

Holly's hand on my shoulder makes me jerk, I glare at her without meaning to. She pulls her hand back, "Oh, honestly, Leonardo. I'm not going to use my powers on you. I would _never_ do that to _any_ of you."

I shake my head, ashamed at myself. Splinter chuckles and I raise my brows at him. Sensei just smirks at me as he and Leatherhead talk with Keira's little brother. At least, he looks like her little brother.

Donnie, Aaron, and Amie are mingling with the other mutants, exchanging names and stories. Casey and April opted to stay in the Battle Shell and keep an eye on things. Well, actually, Annie had _made_ them both promise to stay put. Like Raph's wife had adamantly pointed out, most mutants don't like normal humans.

I turn my attention to the slightly taller woman who's watching me carefully, her mask in her hand. That surprises me. When we'd first met her, she hadn't seemed afraid of anything. But now... her deep brown eyes are unsure.

I sigh, "Sorry, Holly. I didn't mean to be rude."

She shifts uncertainly, "Sure looked like you meant it to me."

She's starts to walk away and I feel awful. I hadn't meant to upset her. I grab her wrist and she turns back to me, "Look, Holly. I really am sorry. Friends?"

Anansi smiles at me as she places her mask on her face. She offers me her hand and I shake it, "Friends."

I smile at her and she looks pointedly at my hand, which is still gripping hers. I let go quickly and she giggles, twirling a strand of beautiful, dark red hair in her fingers. _Shell. What's gotten into me?_ That's when I remember Splinter's chuckle earlier. And I understand.

Mikey was wrong. Looks like none of us are going to stay bachelors.

"Aren't you supposed to give some kind of speech, Leonardo?" Holly asks.

_Oh, yeah._ "Sorry."

She laughs, "What are you apologizing for now?"

I shake my head. I've gotta get out of here before I do something stupid. Amie comes up to Holly and asks her a question. And I make my escape.

* * *

><p>I watch my Annaleigh as she talks with the old man. She looks almost as happy as she had been when she'd talked with Amie over the phone for the first time. Then my wife pulls me forward by the hand, wrapping an arm around my waist, "Tom, this is my husband, Raphael Hamato."<p>

My Wildcat meets my eyes, "Raph, this is Tom Darren. He's one of the people who looked after me when I was little."

I shake his hand, "Nice to meet ya. Thanks for looking after my girl. Even though that was a long time ago."

The old man smiles, "No need to thank me young man. I'm just glad that Little Ann made it. She's a good girl, you're lucky to have her."

My wife blushes and buries her face in my shoulder, making Tom and me laugh.

"So, Tom," I say, "do you have any good stories on my wife?" Annaleigh smacks my forearm, her face indignant as Tom laughs and launches into a _very_ funny story. Making my girl flush even more. And I'm once again taken aback by how beautiful she is.

* * *

><p>Even though I want to follow my fiancee, I stick close to Aaron as he makes his rounds. Both of us greeting the other mutants and answering their questions. Leo was supposed to make some kind of speech about what we plan on doing, but Fearless is distracted. By a certain woman from South Africa. I'll have to say that I <em>never<em> saw that one coming. I'd thought that Leo didn't like Holly. I guess we were all wrong.

Lucky for Leo, Mikey's distracted by his own girl. I freeze in my tracks. I could've _sworn_ that I just saw Keira kiss him. I watch both of them closely. Mikey seems a lot more distracted now, completely unsteady on his feet. Even the dark-skinned girl looks jittery. I'll definitely have to remember this. It's been a _long_ time since I've any _good_ dirt on my orange-masked brother.

The whole crowd starts to quiet down and their attention turns to my blue-masked brother. Leo clears his throat uncertainly. He's used to giving orders, but I know that he's a little nervous. He's never talked to a crowd like this before.

Someone jeers at him. My Ames and her siblings growl menacingly. I hadn't realized how protective of us they've become. And the whole crowd is silent now. Some of them must have come across Aaron in his wild days.

"Okay," Leo starts slowly, his voice strengthening as he continues, "so you all know why we're here. The FOH is threatening our lives and our families. We've got to learn to work as a team, or they'll win."

* * *

><p>Keira loops her arm through mine as Leo goes on and on with his speech. But I'm not paying him much attention. I'd known that she was seriously crushing on me, but I hadn't expected her to <em>kiss<em> me! I can only hope that Raph didn't see. Knowing my luck, he probably did!

"So, what do you think, Mike?"

My knees almost buckle when she says my name. I must still be light-headed from having her lips on mine, "About what?"

She giggles, laying her head on bicep, "About us. I know I'm only sixteen, but... Do you want to start dating me, Mikey?"

"Ummm. Let me think about it..." I say, keeping her in suspense. When her violet eyes become worried, I smile at her, "Shell yeah, Keira!"

She kisses me again. And my knees do buckle this time. I land flat on my shell with her on top of me. And we both start laughing, trying to keep quiet.

I really, _really_ hope that Raphie didn't see that!

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><p><em>Please<em> _R&R._


	70. Surprises

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_Sorry if the last few chapters weren't up to par. I think I managed to get my focus back._

_Wow... Seventy chapters! Thanks to all you wonderful readers for sticking with me!  
><em>

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><p>It's been a month since my sister and Donnie's wedding. And a little over a month left until the showdown with Hun and the FOH. None of us have forgotten that, but all of us are trying not to focus on it too much, aside from training with the other mutants. Even so, I'm starting to have constant nightmares now.<p>

Raph and I are on the floor with Cade, who at almost two months is sitting up on her own. Aaron watches his niece from the couch while Mikey sits a little behind her, his hand on her shell so that he can catch her if she loses her balance. Which hasn't happened in a week.

My little girl smacks her hand on her toy and gurgles at Raphael, making him chuckle. Leo and Splinter make their way over to us and start playing with Cade too. But Donnie and Amie are missing.

My purple-masked brother-in-law comes out of his and Amie's room. Everyone else is too busy fussing over Cade, so Splinter and I are the only ones who notice his concerned expression. I motion to my father-in-law to stay put and get up myself to follow Donatello to the kitchen. He gets the tea kettle out. Okay, something's up. First thing in the morning, Donnie _always_ goes for the coffee pot. Not the tea kettle.

"Something wrong, Don?"

He jumps. Another indicator to me that something's not right. He only scares easily when he's focused on a project... Or really worried.

He shakes his head, as if he's trying to clear it, "Amie's sick."

"Again?"

He nods his head. That's when a thought comes to me.

"It's just in the mornings, right bro?"

Donnie nods his head again, "Yeah. Why'd you ask?"

I lean against the counter next to him, "Well, she could be pregnant, you know."

Don almost drops the tea kettle he's currently filling with water. "But it's only been-"

"A month. That's usually when a woman starts having those kind of symptoms, Don."

No response. He's completely frozen. "Dontello," I state calmly, trying very hard not to laugh. It would not surprise me at all if he were to faint right now.

But he just shakes his head. "You really think that she's...?" His hazel eyes widen, "Wow."

I giggle at him. "'Course, I could be wrong. It might just be a bug. Want me to go talk to her?"

Don turns back to the tea kettle, which is overflowing now. He pours some of the water out before setting it on the stove. "I guess, if you want to. I'll be there as soon as this is done."

I nod and make my way to his room, conscious of my own husband's amber eyes on me. I give him a certain look that means I'll tell him later. He nods and I blow him a kiss before softly knocking on the door.

I barely hear Amie's voice telling me to come in. I open the door, "You sound horrible, Mimi."

My pixie sister rolls her eyes, "Gee. Thanks."

I laugh, "You're welcome."

"Did my man send you in here?"

I nod my head as I sit on the edge of the bed next to her. "He's worried about you."

"I'm a little worried too, Nani. I've _never_ felt this _off_."

"Maybe you're pregnant?"

She rolls her eyes again and chuckles, "Funny, sis."

"I'm being completely serious. You're only sick in the morning and it clears up before lunch. That doesn't sound like a bug to me."

My sister's eyes widen, "But I can't be... _pregnant_. The fight with the FOH is coming up. If we lose..." Amie's eyes tear up, "Nani, I can handle dying myself. But the fact that Don's gonna die with me... And I just can't bear the thought of his baby dying inside of me too."

I lean over and wrap her into a hug as she cries silently, "I know, sissy. I know. When you guys first told us Aaron's news, I thought of Cade dying with me and Raph. That's still on my mind and I can't get it out."

I remembered what my Raphael had told me the day after our daughter was born, "But we're _going_ to win, Nani. They're not expecting us to fight back." I remember the meeting with Holly and her friend, Layla. The mutant who can turn invisible. And the information she gave us on the FOH's plan for their 'pesticide.' "We know enough to take them out."

I pull back and Amie lays a hand on her abdomen. "I know, but I can't help it."

"Help what?" Donnie asks from the doorway, his expression quickly becoming concerned when he sees the tears on his wife's face. He almost drops the mug of tea in his hand as he rushes to her, "You okay, Ames?"

She nods, sitting up, "I'm fine, Einstein. Just scared."

As Don pulls her close to him, I decide to leave them alone. I need to talk with Raph. Like Amie, I need my husband to wrap me in his arms and tell me that everything's gonna work out. That nothing's going to happen to our baby or us.

* * *

><p>It's been a day and Annaleigh <em>still<em> won't tell me why she'd talked with her sister yesterday. She keeps saying that it's not up to her to say. I tried asking Donnie, but he just ignored the question. He seems pretty out of it. Like he had that first time he'd ever laid eyes on his Amie. _What the shell is going on?_

Both girls are out with April. Which leaves Mike and me babysitting Cade while Leo's on a date with Holly and Don's on another training run with Splinter. And I'm starting to get a little worried. The girls usually don't stay out this long. Even though I don't act like it, I'm _extremely_ worried about the FOH. Which is why I'm nervous with my wife out of my sight.

My daughter gurgles at Klunk as the cat curls up in Mike's lap. She then looks up at me and what she does next nearly takes my breath away.

"Dada," Cade says, her green eyes looking right at mine as she stretches her little arms toward me, asking to be picked up.

Mikey laughs and I pull my little girl into the tightest hug I can give her without hurting her. "That's right, Cade. Wait 'til your momma hears about this!"

"You gonna let me hold her, Raphie?" Mikey asks, pushing his cat out of his lap. "Or are ya just gonna hog her like you always do?" my orange-masked brother finishes with a smirk. I glare at him, but hand him his niece.

"Okay, Cade. Now that you got 'Dada' figured out, how about this one. Mi-key." She gurgles at him and I laugh.

"Don't push your luck, bro."

Mike makes a face at me, causing my daughter to giggle. A triumphant look comes to his face. And I'm just gawking at my daughter.

"You may have gotten her first word, Raphie-boy, but I got her to laugh!" He turns back to Cade and starts fussing with her, "Who's your favorite uncle, Cay?" My daughter giggles again at the faces he makes and I just glare at him.

"What the shell did you just call my little girl?"

He rolls his eyes, "Easy, Raphie. Your wife's okay with it."

"Just because Annaleigh is, doesn't mean I am," I say, still glaring. But I'm very careful to keep my voice light. I don't want to scare my daughter again.

That's when the elevator hums and my wife and her sister step out. My Wildcat makes a beeline for our daughter.

"Aren't you supposed to be going to pick up Keira, Mikey?" she asks as she takes Cade from his arms. Mikey's face reddens. Nowhere near as bad as one of Don's blushes, but it's still funny to me.

"Uh... yeah." He gets up and walks a little unsteadily to the sewer entrance. And I laugh harder.

"Don't stay out too late, Mike," Amie calls after him.

Which makes Mike stumble through the doorway.

The girls start laughing too. And Cade giggles again, her little face smiling at us.

"Did you hear that, _di hi_?" Annaleigh asks me, her face incredulous.

I nod and smile as I pull her and Cade into my arms, "Yep. That was third time she's done that today. She said 'Dada' earlier, too."

"Seriously?" Amie asks, patting her niece's shell. Something about her... She looks like my wife did on Christmas Eve. The day that Annaleigh had told me that she was pregnant. If I'm right... _Oh boy. I hope Don's ready for this._

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	71. Flattened

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to BubblyShell22 and syzygy101 for reviewing! You guys are awesome!  
><em>

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><p>As soon as Sensei and I enter the Lair, I quickly locate my wife. Her doctor appointment's been on my mind all night. And I want to make sure she's okay.<p>

Amie's on the floor, entertaining our niece. Raph and Annie are nowhere in sight. Probably trying to get some alone time before Mikey gets home.

Amie looks up from Cade and her expression is enough of an answer for me.

I grin hugely and she laughs. _I'm going to be a _dad_. Wow._

Splinter's eyes gleam as he kisses Cade's forehead and bids us goodnight. As soon as my father's in his room, I wrap my arms around my girl.

She kisses me, pulling away quickly when Cade gurgles and smacks the floor with her hands. Demanding our attention. I laugh. _Yep. She's Raphie's little girl alright._

I pick my niece up and my jaw drops when she giggles. Amie laughs again and gently pushes my chin back up with her palm. "Nothing to be astonished at, Einstein. She called Raph 'Dada' while we were gone."

"Shell, she's growing up _fast_," I mutter. Even though she's only the size of a normal two month old, something tells me that she'll be talking, maybe even _running_, before she even turns a year.

I wrap my free arm back around my wife, smiling at her, "Our baby will probably be the same way, though."

Amie giggles nervously. "About that, Donnie..."

"What? You're not pregnant?" I ask, completely crestfallen.

She laughs at my expression and kisses my cheek. "Oh, I'm pregnant, alright." And I perk right back up. But she still looks extremely nervous.

My breath catches as an awful thought comes to my head, "Is there something wrong with the baby?" _Please say no, babe._

She shakes her head and I sigh in relief. Amie lays her head on my shoulder, "Nothing's wrong, Einstein. They're both fine."

I freeze. _What?_ It takes me several seconds, possibly several minutes before I can even begin to process my thoughts again. "Did you just say 'they?'" I ask incredulously. "Are you saying that you're carrying _twins_, Ames?"

Amie nods, but is still shaking slightly. She's still extremely nervous, "You're okay with that, Don?"

I set Cade in my lap so that I can put my hand gently under my wife's chin, making her look up at me. "Of course I am, Ames. Why wouldn't I be?"

"We've only been married a month, Donnie. I'd known that you were wanting a kid, but I didn't know how you'd react to twins." She looks down and it looks like she's about to cry.

My hand moves to her cheek and I kiss her forehead, ignoring Cade's gurgling. "Amie Leann Hamato. Look at me," I say gently. Her blue eyes meet mine and I smile at her again. "Ames, I couldn't be happier."

This time, she kisses me deeply. Cade smacks my plastron, making me jump and my wife laugh. I'd forgotten that my niece was in my lap. Amie lays her head against my shoulder again and I put my hand on her abdomen. _Only eight months to go..._ I can't wait to tell everyone else!

_Great. I'm starting to sound like Mikey._ Speaking of my orange-masked brother... He's going to freak out completely.

* * *

><p>The next night, right before we have to leave to meet with the other mutants again, Mikey, Casey, and Aaron are all staring at the purple-masked turtle and my sister with open mouths. My Raph, Cade in his lap, just starts laughing. Leo and Splinter are both smiling at Don and Amie. April is beaming as she supervises Shadow. Who's completely focused on playing with my baby.<p>

"Congrats, Mimi!" I say as I hug her. I'd known that her test was positive, but she hadn't shown me the pictures. And I'd understood. She'd wanted Donnie to see them first. So I hadn't expected her to be pregnant with _two_ babies.

And for once, I find that I can forget about the FOH. If only for just a few minutes.

"Have you guys thought of any names yet, Don?" April asks.

Donnie blushes, making all of us laugh, "N-not yet."

Amie chuckles, planting a kiss on her husband's cheek. "We've got eight months. We'll think of something by then." My twin's face falls, "That is if..."

_If_ we can beat the FOH.

We _have_ to. Our kids are depending on us.

A few hours later and all of us, minus Amie, who's staying behind with Angel and the little girls (Donnie had adamantly refused to let her come, and I agree with him), are at Central Park with our small army. Sensei, my husband, our brothers, April and Casey, and myself have split the mutants into groups. Each of us teaching a small group. Makes it easier to teach this way, I guess.

I'm still a little uncomfortable with Casey and April being surrounded by so many mutants. But since Leatherhead is keeping an eye on them, I guess I don't need to worry _too_ much.

I've got Keira in my group and Raph has Holly in his. To keep Leo and Mikey from getting distracted, of course. Keira's eyes widen as I demonstrate how to flip someone. The guy, a hydrokinetic mutant, just so happens to be twice my size.

"What happened to using your powers to stop me, Joe?" I ask as I help him up.

"Didn't want to hurt ya, Leopard."

I growl softly and roll my eyes, "I'm not that fragile, no matter what my husband says." That earns me a few chuckles.

"Now, again. But this time, come at me with _everything_ you've got."

I _so_ should _not_ have said that. Because I just got flattened by a wall of water that came out of a fountain.

I sputter and sit up. Joe helps me stand, his face concerned. For someone who lives in Hell's Kitchen, he sure is a big softy.

"Good... good job," I manage to gasp out as he helps me to my feet. I wish one of these mutants could control the wind. That way I can dry off. I don't mind being wet, but since I'm wearing long sleeves and pants, like always, I'm now completely miserable. Oh well. I'll just have to endure it.

I hear my husband chuckle from his place with his group. I roll my eyes. The next time we spar, he's going _way_ down. I'm going to go harder on him than I ever have before. Knowing Raphael, he'll just say 'Bring it on.' I wonder how far his jaw will drop when he sees what I can _really_ do.

I'm gonna need Mikey and his camera for that. I want to keep a video. And I'm gonna have to hide that particular one away from my husband. Which means not putting it anywhere near the videos of Cade, of course.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	72. Betrayal

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101 for reviewing!_

_Okay, here's some action for you guys!  
><em>

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><p>I watch from my perch, both katanas in my hands, as Layla the Invisible Girl, as Mikey calls her, leads my Holly and another mutant, one who claims to be able to see in infrared, to the FOH's new hideout.<p>

I can't believe that we overlooked this place! My brothers, the girls, and Aaron have passed this old abandoned building so many times on our patrols and not once did we see anything peculiar about it. But this is where the FOH are. I just saw Hun and the older guy walk in the back door.

Holly had insisted that I wait outside, since I didn't have any special abilities besides my training. I wouldn't be able to disappear as thoroughly as Layla, make an enemy not see me like Holly, or see thugs coming long before they enter the room like Rob. And I'd agreed to wait, at first. But now, I can't let them go in there without me. I don't like letting Holly put herself in danger. Especially when I won't be able to protect her. Even though we aren't dating yet, I still care about her very much. I've already come to see her as _my_ girl.

The three of them are faster than I thought. By the time I enter the building, through the same door they had used, they're already where I can't see them. That's when Holly lets out a terrified, bloodcurdling scream. I run frantically toward the sound as she screams again. When I round the corner, what I see doesn't make sense.

Layla and Rob are surrounded. But Holly... She's standing beside Hun and the old thug, her face triumphant. It takes me several precious seconds to realize that she's a traitor.

Those several seconds almost cost me. I barely manage to keep the FOH from grabbing me. Two bangs sound and what I see takes my breath away. Rob and Layla crumple to the ground lifelessly. And Holly aims the gun at me. I dodge but the bullet nicks my shoulder anyway, making me cry out as I crouch on the windowsill. Holly doesn't even cringe, her expression murderous. I can't believe that I'd actually fallen for her! I'd chosen to ignore my instincts and now two good people are dead. I glare at Holly before jumping out the window. She curses and Hun lets out a yell of rage.

It isn't until I'm several blocks away do I stop running. When I finally stop, I just slump against a chimney, my head in my hands. How could I have been so stupid? Even though Holly doesn't know where the Lair is, she knows about Cade. My niece is now in danger. Thanks to me.

I still can't believe that Holly is FOH. I can't believe that I'd actually imagined it possible that I might have shared the rest of my life with her.

But why would a mutant help _them_ if she knew their plans? She must have been lying about that too. Anansi had probably never existed.

* * *

><p>My wife watches from the the bed, feeding a sleepy Cade as I pace back and forth in front of them. "Something's not right, Wildcat. Leo should have been home <em>hours<em> ago."

"I know, _di hi_." She sits straighter. She only does that when she's listening very intently. "And it sounds like we're not the only ones who are worried."

I sit next to her and take our now sleeping daughter from her, "Who else is up, Annaleigh?"

"Sounds like everyone, babe." She motions for me to lay Cade down in her crib, then walks out to the Great Room with me. Her fingers firmly intertwined with mine.

"Has Leo tried to call you, Raph?" Donnie asks from his Lab, his shell cell in his hands. Probably trying to pick up Fearless' tracer. Aaron is watching over his shoulder, face concerned. Mikey's in the kitchen, washing dishes. Bonehead only does that when's he's _really_ worried.

Amie's curled up on one side of the couch, fast asleep, Splinter sitting with her. His soaps are on, but he's not watching them.

"No, he hasn't." I'm about to start panicking. Annaleigh squeezes my hand comfortingly.

"Have you tried calling Case and April, Don?" she asks calmly. "What about Leatherhead?"

Mikey comes over to us, "I called all three. They haven't seen him at all!"

Don and I exchange nervous glances. This feels almost like the time Shredder and the Foot had almost killed Leo. The memory of Fearless crashing through April's living room window comes to me. And I can't take it anymore.

I go back to my room and quietly grab my sais and my wife's nunchuks, being extremely careful not to wake Cade. I already know that Annaleigh's not going to let me go alone. She nods in understanding when I put her weapons in her hands and then silently follows me to the sewer exit, still in her red flannel pajamas. Mikey jogs to catch up.

Don and Aaron also move to follow us, but Splinter calls them back. "Raphael."

I turn back to him right before I go out the door, "Yes, Sensei?" I don't care if he's going to tell me to wait for Leo to drag his shell in here. The last time I'd waited... I'd almost lost my big brother.

"Be careful, my son."

"I'll keep an eye on him, _U na li i_," my wife says. "And I'll make sure that one of us calls you every hour." Annaleigh's voice softens, "We'll find Leo, _E do da_. I promise."

* * *

><p><em>I bet you definitely weren't expecting that...<em>

_Please R&R._


	73. Found

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101, Icecreampopstar, superman15857, and Giai Kame for reviewing!  
><em>

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><p>Thirty minutes into our search and we've found nothing yet. That's when my husband's phone buzzes. All three of us instantly freeze and Raph pulls his phone off of his belt.<p>

"Did Leo show up, Genius?" my red-masked turtle asks hopefully.

His face falls and then his expression becomes shocked. "What?" Raphael asks quietly. That's _not_ good. My husband only goes quiet when things are _really_ bad.

Mikey clings to me and I wrap an arm around his shoulders comfortingly as we wait.

"Okay, we'll keep an eye out for them too."

As soon as my turtle snaps his phone shut, "Is Leo okay, Raphie? Who's them?"

I squeeze Mikey gently as I meet my husband's amber eyes, "What's going on, babe?"

He shakes his head, "Still no sign of Leo. Steph called Don just a few minutes ago. Layla's not answering her phone. Don tried calling Holly and Rob. No answer from them either."

Mikey gasps and I go stiff. Steph is one of our mutants and Layla's roommate. Something must be really wrong if she's calling Don to check up on her. I know for a fact that all three mutants who went with Leo on the recon mission have their own cell phones. If they're not answering...

"We need to keep moving. The sooner we find them, the better," I say calmly. Both my red-masked husband and his orange-masked brother are so worried that they're both getting close to losing it. Someone needs to keep a cool head.

I pull away from Mikey and embrace Raph as tightly as I can. Then I pull away from him too, meeting his eyes and then Mikey's. "We've got to stay calm." Both nod and follow me as I head in the direction of the supposed FOH hideout.

It takes us another hour to reach it on foot. We'd agreed that taking the Battle Shell was too risky, but Don had pressed the remote for the truck into my hand anyway. Just in case. But I'm not gonna call that thing unless we really need it.

As soon as we can see the old run-down building a certain scent catches my attention. Blood. And another scent that I first remember smelling when I was four years old. Death.

I freeze.

Raph comes up from behind me and wraps his arms around me, "What's wrong, Wildcat?"

I'm very conscious of Mikey shifting nervously next to us, "Something's down in that alley, _di hi_. I need you two to cover me."

As soon as I say that, he's shaking his head, "Uh uh. No way am I letting you go down there by yourself. Mike can keep watch, right bro?"

Mikey nods and I can see that he's even closer to freaking out. "Fine by me," he squeaks. Any other time, that would have been hilarious. But not now. Right now, I'm begging that Leo, Rob, Holly and Layla are _far_ away from here.

Quietly, I jump down the fire escape. My Raphael right behind me, both sais in his hands. I look around, trying to pinpoint where the two scents are the strongest.

At the dead end of the alley.

I creep forward slowly and that's when I notice the two garbage bag wrapped bundles. Both are human-shaped and Raph relaxes slightly. Neither of them could be Leo. Both of us are still anxious, though. One of the bundles is smaller than the other. And I'm beginning to think that we've found Rob and Layla.

I crouch by the smaller bundle and reach behind me. Raphael places one of his sai in my hand and I cut away the bag from bundle's head. I gasp and jerk away, slamming into my husband's chest. He wraps his arms around me, but he's shaking too.

Layla's face is staring at us. Her eyes completely lifeless and a bullet hole in her forehead.

"Guys! What's going on down there?" Mikey calls frantically from his perch. The dead end of the alley is in shadow, so he can't see what we've just found. And I don't want him to see it.

"Don't come down here, Mike," I call back shakily. "You don't need to see this."

"Is it Leo?" the orange-masked turtle asks fearfully. There's a clanking sound and I look up to see him coming down the fire escape.

"No, Mike," Raph calls back. "Go back up. Annaleigh will be there in a minute," my husband says firmly, before pushing me in Mike's direction.

"The other one's probably Rob, but I gotta make sure, Wildcat. Wait with Mike. Please," his voice almost breaks on that last word.

I nod and kiss his cheek, completely unable to respond. As soon as I make it up to the roof, I wrap both arms around my younger brother's waist and sob quietly into his plastron.

"Annie, please tell me that Leo's not down there," he says. I've never heard this much fear in the happy-go-lucky turtle's voice before.

"N-no, Mike," I say, finally managing to control myself. But I don't let go of him. "Leo's still missing."

He rubs my back, "Then what's wrong, sis?"

Raph pulls me out of his brother's arms and holds me at arms length, one hand under my chin so that I have to look at him, "Leo's still out there, Sweetheart. We're not giving up."

"Guys, _please_." Mikey cuts in insistently. "What's down there?"

"Rob and Layla," Raph says quietly as he wraps his arms around me for a quick hug. For my comfort as much as for his. "Someone shot both of them."

Several hours later and we _still_ haven't found Leo or Holly. Since Mike hadn't seen Rob and Layla's bodies, he'd volunteered to call the Lair and let them know. Aaron had headed over to Steph's house to give her the bad news.

It's now 4 am and I just got finished calling Don with the hourly report. We've only got about two hours before the sun comes up.

That's when I smell blood again. _Oh no. Oh, please no._

I start running in the direction of the scent and slip in a tiny pool of blood. Raph catches me and Mikey's face pales when he sees what tripped me. But I'm too focused to notice either of their expressions.

This blood is fresh. And from the way it's pooled... Whoever the blood belongs to was running. Either Leo or Holly. Maybe even both. _Please let them be okay._

A breeze of wind blows my hair back from my face. And I catch Leo's scent. "Leo," I whisper and take off again.

Five minutes later and I can hear him breathing. All three of us jump to the next rooftop at top speed and Mikey and Raph almost launch themselves at their blue-masked brother, who's sitting with his back against a chimney. His head is in his hands and his whole body is shaking. He must have seen what happened to the others.

I barely manage to keep the two turtles back, giving both of them a look that means 'wait.' Raph nods and pulls Mikey, who's ignoring me, firmly back.

I crouch in front of my big brother, "Leo? Are you okay, bro?" I ask softly. No response. He's still shaking. I gently pull his hands away from his face, but Fearless looks down at the ground. "Leo, honey. Look at me."

When he does I can see the misery in his eyes. But he still doesn't speak.

"Where's Holly, Leo? Is she okay?"

He shivers harder, and what he says shocks me. "She betrayed me. Rob and Layla are dead because of her," he says quietly, clenching his fists.

Raph and Mikey both gasp in shock as I wrap my arms around Fearless. Who's still not responding to my touch.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	74. Wanted

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101 and Giai Kame for reviewing!  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>What the shell?<em> Holly's a traitor? I stand completely still as my wife embraces Fearless. He doesn't even move. Leo's gotta be feeling horrible. He'd really liked Holly. He'd fallen for her.

I'm gonna wring Anansi's neck. _Nobody_ hurts _my_ brothers. 'Course, judging by Leo's expression when he told us the bad news, there's a waiting line for that already.

Takes us forever, but we finally convince Leo to come home. Before we head out, Annaleigh takes her mask and winds it around the deep cut on my older brother's arm. Then Leo just takes off, Mikey right behind him. And I exchange an anxious glance with my wife. I've never seen Fearless so out of it like this. And it's scaring me.

Annaleigh shakes her head, "I'm worried too, _di hi_. I think he blames himself for what happened."

"Like he always does," I say quietly and she nods before taking off after my brothers.

As soon as we get to the Lair, Leo makes a beeline for his room, even though he hasn't slept there since Aaron had showed up again. April's sitting on the couch with a sleeping Shadow on her lap. Splinter's watching Leo from beside her, his face pained. They're both worried too. And Don's probably got Amie in bed. He's gotten _very_ overprotective of his wife since the baby news.

Casey moves over to me as my wife beats Fearless to his doorway. "What's going on, Raph?" he asks, as we both watch Annaleigh talk firmly to my brother. Leo's not happy that she's not letting him go.

That's when Cade starts crying, "I'll let Mike tell ya. I gotta get my baby, Case."

Annaleigh's stormy eyes meet mine and she inclines her head slightly toward Leo. I nod. If none of us can get through to Fearless, then maybe Cade can.

I walk into my room and gently scoop my daughter out of her crib and make my way over to Leo. He's hesitant to take Cade from me, but I give him no choice. As soon as my baby is safe in his arms I go to get her bottle. And Annaleigh finally lets Leo into his room. But she's right behind him.

* * *

><p>Annaleigh leaves the door open and sits on my bed. I ignore her as I bounce my niece, trying to calm Cade. I don't want to talk about this. But my sister-in-law isn't giving me the choice.<p>

"Leonardo. Please look at me." I know that Annie's not going to give up. So I meet her eyes.

"Don't tell me that what happened tonight wasn't my fault, sis. Because it _was_," I say calmly. She doesn't say anything, and I keep going, "I'd known when I first laid eyes on H-Holly that something wasn't right about her. But I ignored my instincts. I wanted so badly to believe that she was on our side. That she and I... That we could..." I look away from her, clutching Cade closer to me. "And now, because I was so _stupid_, I put Cade in danger too. The FOH know all about your baby now, Annie. And it's all _my_ fault." I take a deep breath, "I don't know why you and Raph are even letting me hold her now."

"Because it _wasn't_ your fault, Leo." I open my mouth to interrupt, but she holds a hand up. "You weren't the one who lied about what you are. You didn't pretend to be on our side. You didn't pretend to care. She did."

Raph comes in and hands me Cade's bottle. He squeezes my shoulder as I start feeding his daughter, "And you didn't pull the trigger on Rob and Layla, Fearless."

"But if I hadn't-" I stop when I feel the bottle in my hand jerk.

Cade's got it out of her mouth and her bright green eyes are looking right into my brown ones. "Lee," she says. "Leeleeleelee."

My eyes widen in shock. I'd known that she was saying 'Dada,' because I'd actually heard her say it once. But I hadn't expected her to try to say my name. Raph and Annie exchange dumbfounded looks and just start laughing. I kiss my niece's forehead, "Yeah, Cade. Uncle Leo's got ya."

She's only two months old. If Aaron hadn't been reassuring us that this is perfectly normal given her mutations, I'd be _extremely_ worried right now. As it is, I get the feeling that she must have inherited some of her Uncle Donnie's brains too. 'Cause she's definitely smarter than we'd thought.

I actually chuckle when little Cade pulls her bottle out of my hand and starts sucking on it. As if the matter's closed in her eyes. I hadn't realized how much she's taking after her mother too.

Annie comes to stand beside me and rubs my forearm gently, "That's not all, is it Leo? You were planning on asking her to date you." It's a statement. Not a question.

I sigh shakily. I _really_ don't want to talk about this. I've been betrayed before, but _never_ like this. I've never actually _cared_ this much about someone before.

Raph shifts uncomfortably, but stays put. He must be really worried about me if he's staying. This kind of stuff isn't actually his forte.

I sigh as I sit on the bed and Annie sits beside me. Raph's still standing uncomfortably in the doorway.

Annie rubs my shell, but it's my red-masked brother who speaks up, "I think I can understand what you're going through, Leo."

I raise my brows at him as he sits on my other side and he rolls his eyes at me, "Remember when we first brought Annaleigh to the Lair?"

Annie's quiet as I answer, "Yes. I remember that she was clinging to you more than she ever did when she was pregnant with Cade." My sister-in-law groans and Raph laughs.

But he sobers quickly, "As soon as I realized that she was Leopard, I felt as if she'd betrayed me."

I sigh, "But you two still ended up together." I refuse to meet their eyes, "You didn't kill anyone, Annie. Holly did. And it's-"

"Don't you dare say that it's your fault, Leonardo Hamato," Annie says warningly.

"'Cause it wasn't, Fearless," Raph interjects.

Annie smiles at him quickly and I feel a pang in my chest. I hadn't realized how much I'd envied Raph until now. I'd wanted the kind of relationship he has with Annie. The kind of relationship that Don has with Amie. Like the one Mikey's beginning to have with Keira.

And I'd wanted to share it with Holly. I'd wanted that so much that I'd blinded myself to what she really was.

My sister-in-law reads my expression easily and gets right to the point, "And it's not your fault that you like her. She's a beautiful woman. And you're a guy. It's only natural."

Raph snorts and she glares at him before turning back to me, "And you're gonna _hurt_. At least for a little while." She kisses my cheek, "But we're here for you, bro. Don't you forget that, 'kay?" She gets up and Raph follows her out, leaving me with my now sleeping niece.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	75. Names

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101 and Giai Kame for reviewing!  
><em>

* * *

><p>My room is completely empty when I wake up. Takes me a few seconds to remember that my Cade is with her Uncle Leo. I'm a little surprised that Raph didn't end up 'rescuing' her last night.<p>

Something brushes my leg and I almost jump, laughing quietly at myself when I realize that it's just Klunk. And that's when I finally notice the sound of my husband at his punching bag. I glance at the clock. It's only a little after six. The only reason why my husband would be up this early is if he's stewing over something. And I know exactly what it is.

I pull on my bath robe and tie the belt around my waist. I make my way out to the dojo, not even bothering to greet my turtle. I just hold the bag still for him like he did for me over a year ago. He finally pauses, fists still clenched.

"How come we didn't see this coming, Wildcat? Even Keira was uneasy around her."

I shake my head, hugging him tightly as his strong arms wrap around me, "It's not our fault either, Raphael. These things are going to happen."

He rubs my back, "It doesn't seem to bother you, Annaleigh. Why is that?"

"'Cause I've been betrayed before, _di hi_. Hence the reason I flinched so much around you guys the night I lost Daddy. Being betrayed is nothing new to me."

His hold on me tightens, and his voice is strained, "If I ever come across any of those goons that hurt you, I'm gonna-"

I put a finger to his lips, "No, Raph. That's over. We've got enough to worry about right now."

That's when Don comes out of his and Amie's room, heading straight for the kitchen. By his worried expression, I can tell that he's going for the tea. My sister's sick again.

My Raphael pushes me toward his brother's room, "Go make sure that she's okay. I'll help Don stay calm."

"Since when did you and Genius trade places, Brooklyn-Boy?" I ask teasingly, and he rolls his eyes at me.

"Just go, Wildcat."

This time, I don't even bother knocking on my sister's door, "Hey, Mimi. Are the babies giving you a hard time again?" I ask as I gently sit on her side of the bed.

She nods, "Nowhere near as bad as yesterday, sissy. Why do you ask? Is my husband freaking out again?"

I laugh and she chuckles with me, "Almost. 'Course worrying has always been your Don's specialty."

She rolls her eyes, "He's even worse than Raph was with you." There's something in her voice...

"You're not fretting over Porter, are you?" I ask sternly. "'Cause if you are, you need to stop. It's not going to help the twins."

She puts a hand on her stomach, "I know. But I was the one to introduce her to you guys."

"And you're not telepathic, Ames. There's no way you could have known what she was really up to," Don says as he comes in with two mugs. One with her tea, the other with his coffee. Amie sits up slowly and takes the tea from him as I situate her and Donnie's pillows behind her. She sips the tea carefully.

"Where's Raph, Donnie?" I ask. I was sure my husband would have been right behind him.

"He's getting Cade's bottle," Don says, sitting Indian style on his side of the bed, close to his wife. "She just woke Leo up." Fearless is an extremely light sleeper. He's the only one, besides Splinter, who wakes up _before_ my daughter starts squalling.

Last night, Aaron had slept in Mikey's room. We'd all agreed that it was best to let Fearless have his room back. And I'm hoping that having him watch Cade last night helped.

"Did he look okay to you, Einstein?" Amie asks before I can. Donnie must have given her all of the details.

Genius nods, "Good idea having him watch the baby, Annie."

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about me, would you?" Leo asks from the doorway. He's still holding Cade who's holding her bottle two-handed and sucking away at it.

"Raph wouldn't take her from me," Fearless says, answering the question he sees in my expression. "Thanks for trusting me with her, by the way."

I'm about to snap at him for blaming himself again when I realize that he was joking. I roll my eyes, "Not funny, Leo."

"On another note," Don says, chuckling. It's a relieved kind of chuckle. Everyone's been worried about our Fearless Leader. "Amie and I've got the babies' names picked out."

"And what are they?" Raph speaks up from behind Leo, who moves so that his red-masked brother can come in.

"I feel like an animal in the zoo," Amie mutters, causing all of us to laugh.

"Sorry sis. But we're not leaving until you tell us," I threaten playfully, earning a mock glare from Don.

Amie growls softly and rolls her eyes at our antics, "Okay, children. Settle down." She leans against her husband, "You want to tell them, Donnie?"

Said turtle nods eagerly, "Delaney and Louisa, if they're girls. Dustin and Trevor, if they're boys."

Raph and Leo nod, both smiling. "What if one's a boy and the other's a girl?" I ask, but I already know what the answer is. I know my sister well enough.

"Dustin and Delaney," my sister says. She'd told me herself that she'd wanted to name one of them after Donnie, but the purple-masked turtle hadn't been too happy about that idea.

If my Raph and I ever have a boy, his middle name _will_ be Raphael. No matter what my hot-headed husband says. And it's only fair since Cade's middle name is Annaleigh.

My sister must have had enough of us intruding, "Okay, showtime's over. Don't you have a job to go to, Nani?"

I laugh and hug her before I leave, Leo and Raph right behind me. Fearless' phone goes off and he hands Cade to me. He freezes, looking at the caller ID.

"It's Steph," Leo says, his expression confused. "Why the shell would she be calling me?"

"You won't know until you answer, bro," Raph says. His face is just as confused.

"She probably just wants someone to talk to. Given the circumstances," I suggest quietly.

"But why _me_?" Leo asks again.

"Just answer it, Fearless," Raphael says impatiently.

Leo does, then makes his way to his room, closing the door. My husband and I exchange looks as I hand our baby to him.

I'll have to wait until later to find out what this is all about. Like my twin had pointed out, I've gotta work today. And I have less than two hours to get ready.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	76. Steph

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to Purple 'N' Blue Wings and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

* * *

><p>"Did I wake you, Leo? I didn't mean to. I just-"<p>

"No, I was already up, Steph," I respond, bewildered. I still don't know why she called me. I'd thought that she probably blamed me for what happened to Layla. I would have thought that she's calling to yell at me, but, judging from the way she seems to be apologizing, I don't think that's it.

She breathes a sigh of relief at my answer, "Good. I mean, I don't want to bug you..." Her voice sounds like she's been crying.

"Are you okay, Steph?"

Stephanie sniffs, "No. I... Well, I was actually calling you to ask you the same question. Did you manage to sleep at _all_ last night?" she asks, her voice concerned.

Steph was one of the mutants Holly had introduced us to. So when I'd been talking with Porter, I'd also spent some time with the silver-haired shape-shifting mutant. I've seen Steph in action, so I have no doubt that she is who she claims to be and that she's on our side. But I just don't want to talk about last night.

So I try to evade the question, "Not as much as I would have liked." Steph already knows about Cade, so I have nothing to lose there, "My niece kept me up most of the night." It's not a lie, but it's not the whole truth either. Seeing Layla and Rob getting shot still haunts me. Not only were they good people, they were good friends. I had not slept at all. Every time I'd tried to close my eyes... I was back in that old building, watching them crumple to the ground. I'd never seen someone get killed before.

I'd felt even worse when Aaron had told us that Layla was actually Steph's older sister.

"What about you?" I turn the question back around to her, so she doesn't have time to question me further.

"Not at all. L-Layla was not only my s-sister, Leo. She was my best friend. We did everything together. N-now that she's g-gone..." And she breaks down. _This is all my fault._

"I'm so sorry, Steph. This is my fault. I can understand if you blame me. If I had gone in there with them-"

"Leo," she says, her voice extremely calm now. "Don't. I don't blame you. I... What I mean to say is... I don't know," she sighs, sounding dejected. "But I don't blame you. I just want to make sure you're okay. No one should have gone through what you did last night."

I can't think of anything to say to that. But I don't have to. "Now that... Well... Layla was the only one I was ever close to. Now that she's..." she sniffs again. "You're the only friend I've got right now, Leo."

I shake my head hard, even though I know she can't see me, "Steph, that's not true. You've got plenty of friends. We're all here for you."

She chuckles humorlessly, "Ironic. I was going to give you the same speech."

That's when I get an idea, "Casey and April have a spare room. Why don't you stay there?"

"I don't want to be a burden-"

"You won't be," I say, just a little too quickly. She giggles softly. Then I understand why Steph called me.

The look on her face every time she'd seen me with Holly... Stephanie wants to make sure I'm okay because she cares for me as more than a friend. _But why hasn't she said anything about it?_

"You might want to let Mr. and Mrs. Jones make that decision. Since it is _their_ house."

I chuckle, glad to hear that she's cheering up somewhat, "I'll get right on it. Until then, you can stay with us. At least you won't be alone. I can come and pick you up, if you'd like."

"Leo, it's broad daylight. How on earth-"

"April's van has tinted windows, Steph. No one will see me."

* * *

><p>I'm sitting on the floor playing with my Cade when Fearless comes out of his room and makes a beeline for the elevator. I'm about to ask him where he's going, but Mikey beats me to it.<p>

"Hey, Leo? Where's the fire?"

Our blue-masked brother stops and turns around, "Steph is staying with us for a little while."

"And you're going to pick her up," Don states.

"Leo and Steph, sitting in a tree-OW!" Mikey rubs the spot on his head where I whacked him. My daughter giggles, causing everyone else to laugh. Even Leo. Although I know Mikey's teasing had to hurt him.

When Fearless speaks, his voice is quieter, "That's not it, Mikey. Steph just lost the only family she had. She shouldn't be alone right now." That's not all, though. I know Leo well enough to know that he's holding something back. But I'm not gonna push him like I used to.

"Want me to go with ya, bro?" I find myself offering. Leo looks at me like I've grown a second head. Shell, all of my brothers are staring at me. They'd clearly been expecting me to snap at Leo for wanting to go out in broad daylight when he'd forbidden us to do exactly that.

Splinter just smiles from his place across from me. He chuckles, then looks up at my older brother, "That would be best, Leonardo."

Leo nods, "Okay, Raph. Ready when you are."

"Hold your horses, Fearless. I gotta say 'bye' to my girls first." I scoop Cade into my arms and head to my room, where Annaleigh's running her straightener through her hair.

"Hey, babe," she says distractedly. Then she turns to me, "What's up, _di hi_?"

"You know I hate it when you do that to your hair," I say, motioning to the thing in her hand. I like her hair better curly.

She rolls her eyes and gets back to work, "That's not why you came in here."

"No. Leo's going to bring Steph back here. Sensei wants me to go with him."

This time, she freezes, "In broad daylight?"

"Annaleigh. Breathe. Tinted windows, remember." She shakes her head, and finally puts that thing down.

"Is that why Steph called?"

I adjust my hold on my squirming daughter, who's doing her best to wiggle out of my arms to get to her mother, "I think that was Leo's idea. He still hasn't said anything about why she called."

My wife takes Cade from me, her tone firm, "You'd both better be _careful_, Raphael."

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	77. Dread

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to Giai Kame and syzygy101 for reviewing!_

* * *

><p>Raph parked April's van in the dark alley behind Stephanie's apartment. Both of us scan the shadows carefully, tensed for a fight. Holly knew where Steph lived. More than likely, the FOH and PDs are watching the place.<p>

But there is no sign of _anyone_. Not even Donnie's handheld scanner that he forced us to take is showing any cameras. Absolutely nothing. That puts me even more on edge than I would be if we were surrounded.

Holly's betrayal is still in the forefront of my mind. And, no matter that I know that I can trust Layla's sister, my subconscious is telling me to stay away.

Even Raph looks ready to bolt. More than likely, though, he's just eager to get back home. Cade had started calling him 'Dada' again right before we'd left. Having his daughter has definitely helped my hot-headed brother. It's a lot easier for him to control his temper now. Of course, that knowledge still hadn't prevented me from being shocked when he'd offered to come with me. In broad daylight. _Especially_ since I'd lectured him _countless_ times for doing _exactly_ that.

Once the both of us are satisfied that we aren't about to be ambushed, Raph follows my lead up the fire escape to Steph's balcony. Since he met Annie, and especially since their Cade was born, my brother's been content to just stay home whenever he gets a chance. He's never been to any of the mutants' homes.

I tap softly on Steph's kitchen window as Raph keeps a lookout. No answer. Now I'm beginning to get _really_ worried.

Raph draws one of his sai and unlocks the window. I slip in after him and immediately draw both my katana. I think I know why the place isn't being watched. Steph's apartment has been ransacked. And there is a trail of blood leading to her shut bedroom door. _Oh no._

And again, I'm back in the FOH's headquarters, watching helplessly as Rob and Layla fall to the ground.

I almost bolt to Stephanie's room, but Raph catches my arm, shaking his head. "We gotta stay calm, Fearless. We might not be the only ones in here." _Since when did he start lecturing me?_ Any other other time, and I might have teased him. But right now, I'm too concerned about Layla's sister.

"Steph might still be alive, Raph. You keep watch. I've _got_ to make sure."

He nods and releases me, "I'll call Don. He and Mikey will need to call the others."

I nod, barely hearing him. I open Steph's bedroom door quickly and stop dead. There is blood _everywhere_. And Stephanie's lying in the middle of the room, eyes closed and deathly still. I drop my swords and rush to her. My heart is in my throat as I press my finger against the side of her neck, just under her jawbone.

Her pulse is faint. But it's there. And then I notice the very slight rise and fall of her chest. We made it. But do we have enough time to save her?

I'm about to call to Raph when I finally see the envelope laid on Steph's stomach. My name's written on the back.

In Holly's handwriting. _Oh shell._

* * *

><p>I'm at the shop, in the middle of checking out a customer, when my shell cell rings. It's Don. And I instantly know that something's wrong. The guys only call me at work when something bad's happened.<p>

Of course, the lady I'm currently helping is one of those who decides to grab a few other things at the last minute. She practically glares at me when my phone rings and I immediately want to strangle her. Instead, with clenched teeth, I explain calmly that my brother-in-law only calls when it's an emergency, and that she's gonna have to wait. When I press the talk button, she actually starts _cussing_ at me.

"Just a minute, Donnie," I say into the phone, then look up at the woman.

"Look, ma'am. If that's how you're going to act when I _told_ you that this was an _emergency_... That kind of behavior is uncalled for and you can leave. Right _now_," I finish dangerously, _very_ close to growling. I put the items that she had shopped hours for on the back counter out of her reach and turn my back firmly to her. And she's not giving up. So I try to ignore her.

"What happened, Donnie? Is something wrong with Amie?" I ask, so caught up in worry over my sister.

"Ames is fine. Raph called me." I gasp and stiffen at his news. I'm actually trembling. If anything happens to my husband...

"Is he okay, Genius? What about Leo? What happened?"

That's when pushy lady comes _behind_ the counter and promptly gets in my face. Yelling that I don't care about _proper_ customer service and that she's going to tell everyone she knows to steer clear of 2nd Time Around. Well, she actually didn't say it like that, but I'm not repeating the actual words that came out of her mouth. Which _desperately_ needs a good washing out. With the strongest soap on the planet.

"Annie, what's going on?" Donnie asks, his voice instantly concerned.

"Nothing, Don. Unhappy customer. I'll call you back once I've dealt with this." I don't want to hang up. I want to know if my Raphael's okay. But Don's already hung up on me. He knows the drill.

I look up at the taller woman and glare at her, _almost_ going cat-eyed. "Look, lady. My husband and his brother are possibly very badly _injured_, and all you care about is your _junk_. If you do not leave, _right now_, I will call the police and report you." And that's when I smell it on her breath. "Druggie."

Potty-mouth goes bone-white and leaves without a word. _Hallelujah._

I call my purple-masked brother-in-law back. "Don. Please tell me that they're okay," I hadn't realized how shaky my voice was.

"It's okay, Annie," Don says soothingly. "They're fine. But Stephanie isn't."

I grip the edge of the counter for support. "What happened, Donnie?"

"Raph thinks that Holly sent the PDs after her. They attacked her in her own _home_. Steph's in a bad way." And we can't take her to the hospital because of her looks.

Usually, when Steph's wide awake and focusing, she looks like a normal brown eyed girl who just likes coloring her hair silver. In actuality, her skin is whiter than milk and her irises are the same color as her hair. And she has no pupils. Because that's her real form, her body automatically defaults to it whenever she's unconscious. Like when she's a breath away from death's door.

"What about Georgia?" I ask him. Georgia, one of ours, also happens to be a doctor. Because her IQ is off the charts, even higher than our resident genius's, she's the best doctor around.

"Leo and Splinter aren't going to like it. What with Holly's betrayal..."

I roll my eyes. "Don, from what little you've told me so far, I don't think that there's _anything_ that we ourselves can do to help Steph. Call Georgia and give her the directions."

As I tell him that, I'm locking up the shop, "I'll be home in five minutes. _Way_ before Gia. She may be a super-genius, but she's not a fighter. Aaron and I will be able to handle her if she proves to be just as traitorous as Holly the snake."

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	78. Forgotten

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to syzygy101 for reviewing!_

* * *

><p>I finish talking with Don, and make my way into Steph's room. Only to freeze completely. I've <em>never<em> seen so much blood.

And most of it is Steph's.

Fearless slips something white into his belt before he, very gently, picks Steph up, bridal style. When he looks at me, I see the same haunted expression that was on his face the night Holly murdered Rob and Layla.

Fearless just walks past me without a word, only stopping at the top of the stairs so that I can go down first. The back door on the ground floor of the apartment is _right_ next to where I parked the van.

I go down the stairs before my older brother, making sure that the family that lives on the floor below Steph isn't home. That would just ruin our day if someone manages to see us. But, thankfully, no one's home.

We get to the van and I quickly open the side door for Fearless. He relinquishes Stephanie to me just long enough to get himself situated in the middle seat.

The drive home is extremely quiet. And I can't help but be worried. Leo still hasn't said a single word since finding Stephanie. I glance in the rearview mirror and his face is hard. The same expression I'd seen him give the Shredder, just more murderous. _Oh shell._ I don't think I even _want_ to know what's going on in Leo's head.

As soon as I park April's van in the garage and get out, an auburn haired blur literally launches at me, knocking the breath out of me. I wrap my arms around my shaking wife.

"What the shell are you doing home, Wildcat?"

She pulls away, "N-not right now, _di hi_. We need to focus on Stephanie. And Georgia's going to be here in about fifteen minutes." Don rushes past us to the elevator with Steph in his arms. And Leo walks sedately up to us. But his face is now _livid_.

"What the shell are you _thinking_, Annaleigh? We don't know if we can trust her!"

I quickly put myself in front of Annaleigh, shielding her from my now furious brother. And I'm just as mad as he is right now. No one talks to _my_ wife like that. I glare at him, "What's your _problem_, O Fearless One?"

Of course, my taunting isn't helping matters. Annaleigh moves in between us and pushes us apart with a firm hand on each our chests. And she loses it completely.

"ENOUGH! I CAN'T _BELIEVE_ YOU TWO! STEPH IS _DYING_ RIGHT NOW AND YOU TWO ARE FIGHTING OVER SOMETHING _STUPID_!"

Both of us just look at her, completely dumbfounded and our mouths wide open. Annaleigh's voice is dangerously low when she speaks again, "_Both_ of you know better than this." She moves to the garage door, her back firmly to us. But she's still shaking.

Leo looks like he's about to follow her, but just shakes his head and heads to the elevator. He doesn't want my wife to blow up again. And I don't blame him. My Wildcat's _never_ yelled at us like that. Actually, she's never yelled at us.

I come up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. She's furious with me and I can't stand it. So, I become the proverbial dog that whimpers with it's tail between it's legs.

"You're right, sweetheart. I'm sorry for being such an idiot."

She turns and lays her head on my shoulder, arms wrapped tightly around my waist. And I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Raph, when Don told me that you called him... I'd thought something had happened to _you_. Something _could_ have happened to you." She sniffs, "And I sound completely selfish right now. Steph could die today and all I was worried about was-"

I stroke her hair and interrupt her, "Wildcat, there's nothing wrong with that. When your sister and my bros told us about the FOH's mutant killer, I _immediately_ thought about you and our baby. Not _once_ did I think of my brothers and father."

I kiss the top of her head, "And you _did_ think of Steph. Which is why you completely flipped out on us."

She flinches. "Sorry," she says sheepishly.

And I can't help but laugh, "Well, I think you made it _very_ clear who you're married to."

She finally pulls her head off my shoulder and her stormy blue eyes meet my amber ones as she gives me a small, tearful smile, "And I'm proud of it, too. I love you _so_ much, _di hi_."

I wipe her tears away and kiss her softly. And she pulls away. As a rule, whenever we're alone, _neither_ one of us pulls away. We tend to only break kisses when both of us need to breathe. So, you can tell why I'm confused.

"Gia's truck is coming down the road, babe. And we need to focus. Steph is counting on us. That means _no_ distractions."

I nod, but can't help kissing her again. She pulls away, growling, "I mean it, Raphael. Stephanie is _dying_."

That sobers me up real quick.

It's about six in the morning, and Gia, with Don's help, managed to get Steph stable about 3 hours ago. But the silver haired girl is not out of the woods yet. So, Gia, my bros, Splinter, and Aaron have decided to take turns keeping watch over her. April and Casey had offered to come down, too, but that means bringing Shadow. And it won't be a good idea to have the almost two year down here with Steph on the couch.

Annaleigh was excluded because she's staying with her sister. Don didn't want his pregnant wife to be alone, in case she got sick again. And I got out of keeping watch because of Cade.

And since my wife's not in the room, I've kept my daughter on the bed with me. Big mistake. Cade knows that she's not in her crib so she's refusing to go back to sleep. I pick her up and sit in the rocking recliner that's in the corner of our room. I lay her on her tummy on my chest and rub her shell as I rock her. I even try singing the Cherokee chant that her mother finally manged to teach me.

No dice. My baby's just not tired anymore. Can't say the same for me. Like Cade, I could barely sleep. My reason was because my baby's momma wasn't wrapped in my arms.

And then I sit bolt upright. _Oh shell!_ My and Annaleigh's first anniversary was a _month_ ago. And I _forgot_. It's a wonder she hasn't killed me yet. _I am _definitely_ in the dog house now._

I've got to make sure that I'm holding our daughter when I apologize to my wife. "Cade, it would help Daddy out _a lot_ if you could learn to say 'Momma' before your mother wakes up," I softly plead.

My little girl gurgles at me, "Dada!" _Oh shell. Am I gonna get it!_

Maybe Annaleigh will be too distracted worrying about Steph to blow up on me. I hope.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	79. Missed

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to Purple 'N' Blue Wings for reviewing!_

* * *

><p>I'm in the kitchen, starting up the coffee maker so that I can get my fix, when Raph comes out with his whimpering daughter. Cade was fussing all night. Missing her mother, probably. And, from the tired look on my red-masked brother's face, he probably didn't get much sleep for the same reason. Ever since their wedding, they've never slept away from each other. And I instantly feel bad for insisting that Annie stay with my wife.<p>

I hadn't been able to sleep at all either, 'cause I'd been too worried about my Ames. I'd thought about opting out of keeping watch, but I'm the only one here that's really capable of helping Gia with Steph. So I had to stay out here. Even though Gia had tried to get me to go to bed with my wife, saying that one of them could get me if something went wrong. And, although I'd wanted to take her up on that, Amie's a light sleeper. Added to that, the babies are already giving her a rough time.

My babies. _Shell. Never thought it would happen so soon. And I _still_ can't believe we're having _two_._

I abandon the coffee machine and start making my niece's bottle. Raph takes it wordlessly from me, his expression just a little freaked.

"You okay, Raph?"

He starts to answer me, but yawns hugely as Cade snatches the bottle from his hand. He chuckles at her before meeting my eyes. "Don. Do you remember what the 20th of last month was?" His spooked look is back.

It's too early in the morning and I haven't had my joe, so it takes me a while to rack my brains. "Umm..." Then I remember, "Your and Annie's anniversary. What did you get her?"

His face pales. He starts fussing with his daughter, "I didn't get her anything. I completely forgot. Annaleigh's gonna _kill_ me."

I laugh quietly, shaking my head, "I don't think so, bro. I think that your wife's forgotten too. In fact, I think that _everyone_ has. We've had a lot on our plate lately."

He nods, his face just a tiny bit calmer, "Speaking of that. How's Stephanie doing?"

I sigh and rub my neck, "The same. No improvement whatsoever. I'm surprised that she managed to last so long. Steph lost _way_ too much blood. And we don't have any that we can give her."

He nods, subdued, "How's Fearless taking it? I mean, she is his best friend."

I take a deep breath and blow it out quietly, "He hasn't slept all night. He's got some kind of paper that he's been crumpling up in his hands. When I asked him what it was, he clammed up and glared at me. Sensei's talking with him about it right now."

Raph's face grows thoughtful as he looks back down at Cade. Both of us laugh quietly when we see that the baby had fallen asleep with her bottle still stuck in her mouth. She hasn't done that in a month.

Very slowly, my red-masked brother gently starts to pull the bottle out of her mouth. She makes sucking motions for at least two seconds, but doesn't wake up. Raph sets the half-empty bottle on the counter and kisses Cade's forehead.

And I find myself wishing that my twins were here _now._

Raph looks back up at me, and his brow furrows, "Back at Steph's apartment, Leo put something white in his belt, like he was trying to hide it from me. I think that paper has something to do with Holly. You know how Fearless doesn't like us seeing him hurting."

I nod, "But, if it is from Holly, it's bound to have something to do with the FOH and PDs' plans. Leo wouldn't hide something like that from us." I glance back to the couch, we're Mikey's watching over Stephanie, "At least, he wouldn't before Holly..."

"Well, if anyone can talk sense into Fearless, it'll be Splinter," Raph says matter-of-factly before heading to the recliner in the living room. It isn't even a minute before he's snoring, Cade curled up on his chest.

Mikey just laughs and shakes his head as he makes his way over to me. Must be time for the shift change 'cause Gia's making her way to Steph's couch.

I turn back to the coffee machine only to find my orange-masked brother right between me and my goal. "The last thing you need right now is caffeine, bro."

I narrow my eyes at him, "Mike, I've _got_ to. Gia might need-"

Mikey folds his arms and his face is deadly, and unusually, serious, "You can't help Georgia if you're half-asleep, Donnie. Go to bed."

"Can't, Mike. I'll wake both of them."

"Annie's going to be getting up anyway. She's still gotta work." He smiles mischievously, "And I'm pretty sure that your wife won't mind."

I roll my eyes. I can see that he's not going to budge. "Fine, I'm going. Wake me if anything happens, 'kay?"

"You got it, Dude."

Very quietly, I open my bedroom door. Both my wife and her sister are still sound asleep. I make my way to my side of the bed and shake Annie's shoulders softly.

She shifts and sits up drowsily, "Donnie? Is Steph okay? What time is it?"

"She's still the same. And it's about a quarter 'til seven."

"Oh shell!" She stands up fast and makes a beeline for the door, "I'm gonna be late!"

I can't help but chuckle at her as I slip under the covers and wrap my arms around my Amie, who moves closer to me and lays her head on my chest. My wife breathes a soft sigh and I think that she's gone back to sleep.

"I've missed you, Einstein," she says quietly. I chuckle again, remembering when she'd first started calling me that. Even though I idolize Albert Einstein, I'd hated that nickname. The main reason was because I'd first thought that Amie was using it to pick on me. Once I'd realized that it wasn't the case, when she'd first told me that she liked me, I've been fine with it.

I kiss the top of her head, "I've missed you too, Ames."

"Did you get _any_ sleep at all, babe?"

"No, I was too worried about you. Are you okay? You're not feeling sick, are you?"

She giggles and lays my hand on her still flat belly. And that's when I feel the _very_ _slight_ baby bump between her hips. I hadn't noticed it before because it wouldn't have been that noticeable.

I kiss her softly and it isn't long before I'm out, still holding her close.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	80. Threat

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

* * *

><p>I hadn't meant to snap at Annie like that. And I hadn't meant to glare at Don. But the fact that Holly wrote me this letter... I've read it several times already. And I don't like what I've read.<p>

I kneel on my father's floor in front of his table, "Now, Leonardo. I can see that something is bothering you. And that it has nothing to do with Miss Stephanie."

I don't want to tell him. It's really none of his business, but Splinter's my _father_. He's just worried about me and I find that I don't want to keep this a secret anymore.

"Holly left me a letter at Steph's apartment," I say soberly. I pull the crumpled piece of paper out of my belt and hand it to him. I'd rather that Sensei read it for himself. I don't want to repeat it. 'Cause that will mean remembering all the lies that Holly tried to feed me with the note.

Splinter reads aloud, though, and I try to ignore the words, but can't. My fists clench as my father reads the lies that Holly still cares for me, and that she was threatened into working for Hun. That she missed shooting me on purpose. That she kept them from killing Steph. And that she knows what their next move is. That I have to meet with her to discuss, of course.

"Do you believe this, my son? Were you planning on meeting with her?" he asks worriedly.

I shake my head quickly, "No, Sensei. I know that she's a liar. I saw the look on her face when she shot at me. She was aiming to kill."

He comes around to me and puts a hand on my shoulder, "But why did you not tell us, Leonardo?"

"Because it would have been a waste of time. Lies aren't worth repeating."

Splinter shakes his head, "That is not the point, my son. The point is that, _because_ of these lies, you are suffering."

"But Sensei, that's not important right now. Steph could... well..." I find myself looking down at my hands, unable to finish. I hadn't realized how attached I've gotten to Stephanie. I don't want to lose her. Her life is more important than how I feel about a traitor.

Sensei puts his hand under my chin, making me look up at him, "Yes, Miss Stephanie's life is in danger. But that does not mean that your needs should be ignored, my son. You were betrayed by someone that you believed loved you. In order to overcome this pain, you must face it. The first step in doing so is to be open with us. We are your family. That is what we are here for."

"Yes, Sensei." He nods, satisfied, and heads out of his room. Only to stop in the doorway and chuckle.

I'm about to ask him what's so funny when I see Raph snoring in the recliner next to Steph's couch. Little Cade's also asleep on his chest. Mike was right. Raph's turning into a regular soft shell.

"Leonardo."

"Yes, Sensei?"

His dark eyes twinkle as he meets my brown ones, "I would think it best if you cared for your niece today. It seems that your brother needs his rest."

I know exactly what he's up to. They're all under the impression that watching the baby improves my mood. And they're absolutely right. I'm actually looking forward to the day when I have one of my own.

_If I ever get the chance to have kids._ I look soberly at the couch where Steph's lying, hooked up to an IV and an oxygen tank. How Georgia managed to get all that equipment out of her office without anyone noticing... Probably helps that she owns the clinic. And I'm grateful that Annie told Don to call her.

* * *

><p>Since my husband hadn't slept well at last night, I'd called Aaron or Mike whenever I got the chance to check on Steph. I wasn't going to bother Donnie, since he hadn't slept at all. Neither had Leo, for that matter, but all of us knew better than to push him. Last time that I'd had a chance to call the Lair, Mikey had told me that Fearless had actually went down for a nap with my daughter.<p>

I think Leo's become Cade's favorite uncle. 'Cause now she flat out refuses to sleep if Donnie or Mikey try to watch her. Splinter can still get her to go to sleep, but he's her grandfather, so that doesn't count.

And the fact that she's still trying to say Leo's name... I would not be surprised if my daughter picks the double katana as her favorite weapon when she's old enough. But I can guarantee that her mask will be red. She automatically focuses on _anything_ that is her father's favorite color.

I'm about to lock up the shop when Casey comes in the front door. He looks a little excited. And he almost runs me over.

"Hey, Case? Where's the fire?" I ask, backpedaling so that he won't step on me. Granted, thanks to my mutation, I'm a little stronger than he is and can take it. But getting stepped on still hurts.

Space Case finally notices that I'm right in front of him, "Oh hey, Annie. Where's Aaron?"

I roll my eyes, "At the Lair, Casey. Where else do you think he'd be?"

"Oh yeah." I want to smack the back of his head for that, but I manage to keep my hand to myself.

"Can I ask why you're in such a hurry to find him? You could have just called him, you know."

"I know. But can you do that for me? Tell him to meet me at the coffee shop in about fifteen minutes."

"Which one? In case you didn't know, Casey Jones, there are more than a bajillion coffee shops in this city! Since it is New York," I say sarcastically.

He rolls his eyes at me, "He'll know which one. Call him and tell him to hurry."

I'm about to ask him what's going on, but he just zips past me like greased lightening. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to wait for my brother to find out so that he can tell me.

I quickly call my brother and finish closing up. As soon as I walk out the front door, I see it. Brand new FOH and Purple Dragon grafitii on the building next door. No way am I walking home now. My Raphael will kill me if I even try to.

So I just step back into the shop and call my husband's cell. "Something wrong, Wildcat?" he asks, answering on the first ring. He always does that. Whenever I call, he picks up right away. Even if he was completely dead to the world the second before. Might have to do with the fact that we both have special ring tones for each other. Nothing cheesy or romantic. We just have each other's favorite 3 Doors Down song.

"Nothing to freak out over, babe. Can I be allowed to want my husband to walk me home from work?"

He doesn't even chuckle and his voice is serious when he answers, "You _never_ ask me to do that. Are there PDs or FOH watching the shop?"

"No, but some of their grafitii is on the building next to April's."

"Don't move. I'll be right there. Call me back if you see, hear, or smell anything else," he says, his voice dangerously quiet. He only quiets down like that when he's _extremely_ worried.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	81. Stubborn

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

* * *

><p>"Did something happen, Raphael?" Georgia asks, looking up from tending Steph, who still hasn't woke up yet. Her breathing's deeper though. Much deeper than it was this morning. Which was why Leo had given in when Amie had urged him to lay down with Cade. I swear, my daughter's gonna be following him around like he followed Sensei when we were little. And I'm okay with that. Better Fearless than the Bonehead.<p>

Mikey, who I'd thought was asleep in the recliner, looks up at me, "Is Annie okay, bro?"

I nod, "She's fine. There's grafitii on the building next to the shop. It wasn't there this morning."

Gia gasps softly and Mike literally jumps out of the chair, "Right behind ya, Raphie."

I roll my eyes, "I can get my wife without your help-"

"Raphael," Splinter says from behind me, effectively making me jump. "I would prefer that you take your brother with you. After the attack on Miss Stephanie, it is not wise that any of us should venture from the Lair alone," Splinter finishes sternly.

I huff, "Fine." I want to kiss my Cade 'bye,' but I'll probably wake Fearless.

My orange-masked brother, to his credit, is actually very serious as we both run through the sewers to April's shop. I can tell that he's almost as worried as I am. The last two times we ran across the FOH and PDs, we'd almost lost my girl.

Once we reach the sewer that runs under the alleyway behind April's building, I quietly lift the manhole cover. But there's absolutely no noise. Completely silent, since there's no one around. Quickly, both of us slip inside.

Annaleigh's not in the shop, which means that April talked her into waiting in the apartment.

We head up the stairs, completely focused on our surroundings. But still no sign of _any_ of the gangsters. I'm beginning to think that the grafitii was just a warning. Like the note that Leo took from Steph's apartment probably was.

The apartment door opens before I reach it and my wife smiles down at us. "There's no one here but us girls, _di hi_. You guys can relax."

I bound up the steps and wrap her tightly in my arms. "Thank you for not tryin' to walk home, Wildcat," I whisper in her ear. She makes a contented sound, nothing I've ever heard before. Something similar to a purr. Apparently, she's also forgotten about our anniversary. That, or she's not worried about it. I hope it's the later. _Or I'm dead._

"Rooish!" Shadow squeals, running with arms outstretched to Mikey. We're _so_ gonna get it when she's older. Mike's gonna teach her every prank he knows, no doubt about it.

As my younger brother picks the toddler up, his shell cell rings. It's the ring tone that he assigned to Keira. Shortly after Mikey told us that they were dating, he'd pestered Don to make his girlfriend her own phone too. Which is a good thing, I guess, since it's the only way we can contact her group.

"Hey, Keira. What's up?" His face falls and Annie takes Shadow from him. He disappears downstairs to the shop to talk.

April comes out and takes Shadow from my wife, "What's going on, guys? Is Keira breaking up with Mike?"

"I don't think that's it, April," my wife says uncertainly, wrapping her arm firmly around my waist. "I couldn't catch what she was saying, but her voice sounded upset. The kind of upset I was when Daddy..."

I squeeze her shoulders reassuringly.

* * *

><p>"Mikey, Mike," Keira sobs softly over the phone.<p>

"Baby, what's wrong?" I ask gently, once I'm out of earshot of my brother and his wife.

"They got Toby, Mike." And she breaks down, sobbing hard.

"What? They took him?" I'm instantly furious. "Don't you worry, Keira. We'll get him back."

"N-no, Mikey. They d-didn't t-take h-him."

My forehead furrows in confusion, then it dawns on me. The FOH and PDs killed her little brother.

"Oh no! I'll be right there. Do you want me to stay on the phone with you until I get there?"

Keira sniffs, "Y-yes. Hurry, p-please. I n-need y-you."

My heart about breaks at that. "Okay, I'm not gonna hang up, but give me just a second to let Raph know, 'kay?" I ask softly.

"O-okay."

"What's going on, Bonehead?" Raph asks, trying to get a rise out of me. He doesn't like seeing me upset like this.

"The FOH murdered Toby."

April gasps and covers her mouth with her free hand while Annie turns to Raph and buries her face in his chest.

"I gotta go. Keira needs me."

Raph nods, his expression still shocked as he rubs his wife's back, "And we're going with you. Sensei told us not to go anywhere alone."

"Since when did you start listening?" I ask automatically. I'm too busy worrying about Keira to think much about what I'm gonna say next. Toby was the only family that she had.

"Since now."

As I'd promised Keira, I stayed on the phone with her the entire time it took the three of us to reach the slums where her clan lives.

Keira's been waiting. As soon as she sees me, my girlfriend runs right into my arms, crying harder than she did over the phone. I don't like seeing her like this. Poor Toby. He was a great little kid. And I find myself tearing up. I've got no silly words in my head. Nothing stupid that I can say or do that will make her laugh and make everything better.

Leatherhead's going to be devastated when he finds out. Whenever all of us mutants got together, Toby used to follow him _everywhere_.

_This is so not cool._

I'm barely aware of Annie's and Raph's arms wrapping around us. For once, I'm glad Raphie was being stubborn. I'm glad that they're both here.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	82. Crawling

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

* * *

><p>It's been almost a month since Toby was murdered. Keira refused to let Mike out of her sight, so Annaleigh and I had managed to talk Splinter into letting her stay down here in the lair. Steph's down here, too. She's recovered a lot from the attack, but she's still on crutches.<p>

A few days after Stephanie woke up, Georgia had headed back to her clinic. The next we heard from her was on the evening news that day. She'd been shot. With the same kind of bullet Holly had used on Rob and Layla. Four others of our mutants were attacked as well. Only my Wildcat's friend, Tom, managed to survive.

And surprisingly, the others are still sticking with us. I guess it's 'cause none of us have a choice. If we don't put up a fight, we'll be dead anyway. 'Cause my bros and I sure haven't got any plans to be Hun's little playthings.

Two more days before the showdown. And I'm trying to distract myself from that by trying to teach my daughter how to crawl. _Trying_ being the main word here.

Cade's been rocking on her hands and knees for about two weeks now. Last night, she figured out how to back up. So, here I am on my hands and knees on the floor with her, showing her how's it done. Everyone's watching with some level of amusement on their faces. Uncle Mike's got the video camera and it's a wonder he's not rolling on the floor yet. I'm getting real close to getting up and chasing him around the Lair. But Cade giggles at me and I find my anger melting away. _Okay, I admit it. I've gone soft._

Cade scoots backward again, making her Uncle Leo, who's been calling her to him for the past half hour, chuckle.

"No, sweetie. Like this," I say, placing my hand in front of me and moving forward a little bit. "Like Daddy. See?"

Mike lets out a belly laugh and Cade starts giggling hard enough to make herself plop back down on her plastron.

And I scoop her up and kiss her forehead, laughing myself. "Good enough, I guess."

But I'm not who she wants, "Leo!" My blue-masked brother looks at his niece, wide-eyed. I've never seen him so dumbfounded. April and Casey start laughing and everyone else follows suit. Cade wiggles in my arms and I put her back on the floor. Only to pull her back into my lap when Shadow tears through the room to jump into her dad's lap.

"Shadow Gabrielle Jones. That was not nice. Tell Cade that you're sorry," April chides the toddler gently.

"Ape, it's okay. No harm done," I say.

"She could have hurt her, Raph. April's right," Case says, agreeing with his wife, as usual.

Shadow toddles over to me and plants noisy kiss on the top of my daughter's head, "Sar ree, Cay." There's only person who she could have learned that nickname from. Mikey. I glare at him and he smirks back.

Cade wiggles out of my arms and then actually starts _crawling_. It takes her a while, but she manages to crawl into Fearless' lap and starts sucking her thumb contentedly. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Steph beaming at the two of them.

Yep, looks like we've got some more lovebirds.

Everyone else seems too busy praising my kid to notice. Annaleigh scoops her out of Leo's lap and starts covering her with kisses.

"You're gonna smother her, sis," Aaron says from the doorway as he kicks off his workboots. Casey had managed to find him another job about a month ago.

My brother-in-law comes over to us and takes his niece from his sister. Cade claps her hands.

"What're you celebrating, Cay?" Okay. I'm _definitely_ gonna kill Mike. Maybe Annaleigh will help me smother him in his sleep.

Steph, Leo right behind her, walks up to us on her crutches, her silver eyes excited, "She just crawled to Leo."

Aaron smiles softly, "Finally. Some good news."

* * *

><p>Tomorrow, we face the FOH and the PDs. Tomorrow, we'll either live or die. And I find myself unable to sleep. Raph's snoring away. And Cade, being just a baby, is out too. I find myself giggling quietly when I hear a very soft snore coming from her crib. The apple sure doesn't fall from the tree.<p>

But even that's not enough to distract me from thoughts of tomorrow. I don't want to wake my husband. He needs as much sleep as possible. At the same time, I do want to wake him. I... I'm scared. All of us could be dead by this time tomorrow. I'm not really that worried about myself, but... And again I'm seeing the dead faces of my Raphael and our baby. I can't take it anymore!

"_Di hi_. Babe, wake up."

"Huh?" he shifts and sits up, drowsy. "Wildcat? What's wrong? Is it time to go already?"

I shake my head and find myself doing something that I haven't done since the nightmare I had when I was seven months pregnant with Cade. I wrap my arms around him and start crying hard into his plastron.

"Shh. I'm here, Annaleigh. I'm not going anywhere on ya," Raph says soothingly, rubbing my back.

"I-I k-know. I-I'm j-just so s-scared."

"Me too. But we're gonna win tomorrow. We _have_ too." When he says that, I can hear the desperation in his voice. And that's when I realize something. He's just as terrified as me. And I can't believe that I didn't see it. I'd been so caught up in how I felt about this whole thing, that I didn't even bother to think about Raph. And he's been so understanding... I don't deserve him.

"Oh, _di hi_. I'm _so_ sorry. I didn't realize that you were scared about this too. I-"

He kisses me before I can finish, taking my breath away. He's never kissed me this desperately before. Raph pulls back and just holds me tighter for a minute, "It's okay. Everything will be okay. I swear."

He pulls away and puts his hand under my chin, his beautiful amber eyes boring into mine, "You can't think like that, Wildcat. If you do, you might as well give up right now. Cade's relying on us to protect her. And we can't do that if we keep worrying about what _won't_ happen. Okay?"

"Okay," I snuggle closer to him, breathing in his scent. "I'm sorry for freaking out-"

He kisses me again and I completely forget what I was going to say next. In fact, I don't even remember falling asleep.

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	83. Promises

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

* * *

><p>Since Keira and Steph are staying with us Aaron had moved into Mikey's room as well, so that the girls could have mine. I'm very sure that Mikey can't wait until we get out. He's gotta miss having his room to himself. Come to think of it, I miss my room too.<p>

At least Aaron and I have mattresses to sleep on now. There's nothing more uncomfortable than sleeping on a hard stone floor.

Speaking of which, I _had_ been sleeping just a minute ago. The fight with the FOH is tomorrow. I glance at the clock. Later this morning actually. It's about 2am. Too early for my internal clock to be waking me up. That means something else did. Not a dream, unless I don't remember it.

Then I hear the soft click of crutches again. Steph's up. I wonder why?

I get up softly and come out to see her settle softly on the couch.

"Leo? Shouldn't you be sleeping? What are you doing up?" she asks, her silver eyes concerned. I find that I'm no longer unsettled by her lack of pupils. Ever since she woke up down here, Stephanie hasn't tried to hide her true form. Not once. And I'm glad that's she's comfortable with us. With me.

"I could ask you the same question."

"I'm not the one who's going to be fighting for our lives," she says softly.

"Touché. But you still shouldn't be up. It's two in the morning. Something bothering you?" I ask as I sit on the couch next to her.

"What if-"

"You're worried that we might not win."

She shakes her head, refusing to meet my eyes, "That's not it, Leo."

"Then what? If you're not afraid of us losing, then why are you upset?"

Her silver eyes meet mine, and she unconsciously shifts their color to match mine. She does that occasionally. Shifting some aspect of her appearance without realizing that she's doing it. Which is why she's so shy. The only person she ever spent time around was Layla. At least until Holly introduced us...

"What if you don't come home, Leo? I've already lost L-Layla. I don't want to lose you too."

"You won't."

Steph's eyes shift back to normal and she looks back to the floor, her hair now a deep black. The more exhausted she is, the more she shifts. She can hold a form, but she has to concentrate hard in order to do so. Sensei and I had been working with her on it and she's actually gotten better.

"Leo, I've got to tell you something. Just, please, don't be mad at me," she says pleadingly.

"Mad? Why would I be at mad at you? You're no traitor," I say, the confusion very clear on my face and in my voice.

She takes a deep steadying breath and fingers the full leg cast on her right leg, "Leo, I- Well, ever since I saw you I... Well, I knew you were different. That you were special somehow."

I listen quietly, very sure of where this is going. I'd suspected that Stephanie cared for me ever since she'd called to check on me after Holly murdered Rob and Layla.

"When I saw how comfortable you were with Holly... And when L-Layla told me that you two were getting close I... Something snapped. I realized..." Her silver eyes meet mine and she doesn't shift this time. "I realized that I liked you. No," her forehead scrunches in frustration, "That's not it. I think... No. That's not it either. I-"

I run my hand through her silver locks and rest my palm on her cheek. "I know. And when Raph and I found you in that apartment..." I scoot closer to her and wrap my arm around her shoulders. "I realized just how important you are to me."

She leans up and kisses me softly, catching me completely off-guard. Steph pulls back, biting her lip uncertainly. I shake my head, trying to clear it and her face falls. She must have thought that I was telling her 'no.'

"Stephanie. I-"

She retreats from me to the other side of the couch, "It's okay, Leo. I get it. I'm just not your type. I understand," her voice quivers, threatening to break.

"Steph. Steph, please look at me." She does. "You are exactly my type."

"Then why?"

"I wasn't expecting you to kiss me. That doesn't mean that I didn't like it."

She smiles widely and scoots closer to me, placing both of her hands on either side of my face, "Really?"

I nod and she kisses me again, holding on a little longer before she pulls away. Stephanie curls up against me and I wrap my arms around her.

"Just promise me that you'll come back to me."

"I promise."

* * *

><p>It's 6am. I'm sitting on my bed, trying to persuade my two month pregnant Amie to let go of me. Even though Hun's letter told us to meet with him and Highton (the old FOH guy who'd murdered Annie's dad and had almost killed her when she was little) at noon, all of us that are fighting are getting there early to set our ambush up. Even though we now know that Layla managed to get that information on the FOH's plans for their gas because of Holly, it's still solid information. Layla had seen more than Holly had planned for her to see, apparently.<p>

As of right now, the mutantcide (as Mikey calls it) is in a liquid form only lethal to the mutant who's stupid enough to drink it. They're going to weaponize it by somehow turning it into an airborne toxin with a special machine. Something tells me that the guy who thought this up has watched _Batman Begins_ at least once. The only differences are that they weren't smart enough to make more of the stuff and there's no city train involved.

So, all we have to do is get the vial of mutant killer away from them _before_ they put it into the machine. Or destroy the machine first. Which will be easy, even though our group is significantly smaller now...

And I'm trying to use all of this information to placate my visibly frightened wife. Amie's still clinging to me, shivering uncontrollably. I rub her shoulder's soothingly, "It'll be okay, Ames. I promise. I'll be home before you know it." I rub her now slightly rounded belly, "We'll get to have our babies, I promise."

Her hand clutches mine, "If you get yourself killed... I _will_ strangle you myself, Donnie." She's trying, unsuccessfully, to put on a brave face. My wife's always been stronger than her sister. Of the two of them, Annie is usually the first to break down during times like this. My Amie... She hasn't shown any weakness until right now.

I pull her closer, "I don't doubt it. But that's _not_ going to happen. You _know_ I'll be careful." I pat her small belly, "Daddy's not going anywhere, kids. That's a promise."

Amie lays a hand on my cheek and I look back up at her, "And we'll hold you to it. Love you, Einstein."

"Love you too, Ames."

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	84. Showdown

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to kaaayyyttee, Purple 'N' Blue Wings, and superman15857 for reviewing!_

* * *

><p>Our army has already hidden itself very well. The only ones visible now are myself, my brothers, Sensei, Annie, and Aaron. I clench my fists to keep myself from drawing my katanas as Holly, Hun, and Highton approach us. Surrounded by their thugs.<p>

Raph and Aaron stiffen and glare at them. Mike and Don frown, Splinter just watches them calmly. But Annie... My sister-in-law would have launched herself at them, had Raph and Aaron not held her back. She growls threateningly and at first I'd thought that she was directing it toward Highton. But she's actually looking at Holly. Who smirks at her.

Hun ignores Annie and glares at me, "So, freak. What's your answer?"

Highton narrows his eyes at the taller man, "There's no need to wait for an answer, Hun. They're mutants. Freaks of nature. They shouldn't even exist. We should be killing them right now." He looks longingly at Annie and this time it's Raph who needs to be held back.

Before I can respond to Hun's question, there's a cry of alarm coming from the old PD headquarters. Our group's moving too fast!

* * *

><p>We are now inside the building and I stick close to my husband, silver nunchuks whirling. We're back to back, surrounded and separated from the others. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Holly fighting Leo. Who taught her to fence like that? My only guess is that she's former Foot, from what the guys have told me of their fights with Shredder's old syndicate. Highton, the coward, has already disappeared deeper inside the building. I think Keira, who was leading the group to the machine while we had tried to distract the leaders, panicked and accidentally alerted the gangsters. Well, nothing we can do about that now. All that we can do is fight our way in and find that vial and the machine. Wherever they are. Which is harder than it sounds. Even though many of us have superhuman abilities, we're still completely outnumbered.<p>

And they've got guns.

Already, shots are ringing out and some mutants have fallen. A few of our number actually manage to dodge the bullets, which strike thugs instead. A bullet whizzes past my head, drawing my attention up to the rafters, where a sniper is hunkered down.

Mikey knocks out the goon in front of me and follows my gaze, "Nunchuk express?"

I nod and he vaults me up to the rafters. I hear a light thud behind me and know that Raphael's followed me. Without even looking at each other, we automatically start circling along either side of the guy with the rifle. He panics, aiming first at me, then at my turtle. I snarl and jump towards the junior FOH, flattening him.

* * *

><p>Right after I launched Annie and Raphie up onto the rafters I spot Highton. Slinking back through the room with something in his hand, "Ron!" Annie's brother meets my eyes and follows my gaze. With a nod, we both take off after the FOH leader. I guess Highton's lucky that it's me and Aaron following him. 'Cause if it were Raphie... <em>I'm not even gonna go there.<em>

* * *

><p>Sensei is battling Hun while I'm preventing any goons from attacking my father while his back is turned. I twirl my bo staff and whack a machete out of one PDs hand. Only to receive a hard blow to the shell from a FOH wielding a metal baseball bat. Times like this, I'm really thankful that I'm a turtle. Our shells have saved us countless times... <em>Focus, Donatello!<em>

No matter how many I knock out, more guys are taking their place. Thanks to Holly, they knew we were coming. I think every PD and FOH in New York is here. And I'm fighting as hard as I can, my wife and our twins on my mind. But it's almost not enough.

I freeze when I hear a soft click to my right. I turn slowly to find a gun pointed right between my eyes. Without warning, my sister-in-law comes out of nowhere and lands on the girl. The gun goes off, but the shot misses me by a lot. Thankfully.

* * *

><p>As my Annaleigh helps Genius, I launch myself at Hun. Kicking him in the face before flipping back and landing back to back with Leo. Who's still sword-fighting with Holly. And trying to talk her out of what she's doing. <em>What the shell!<em> I want to shake him, remind him that she's a murderer. That she's probably told Hun _everything_ that she knows about my little Cade. But Leo's always been one to give second chances. And I can't worry about that right now. Keira's pinned down and Mike's nowhere in sight.

I throw my sai at the goon looming over my orange-masked brother's girlfriend, and it lodges in his shoulder. He cries out and drops to the ground. I retrieve my weapon and pause long enough to give him an incapacitating blow to the head and to check on the dark-skinned girl.

"You okay, Keira?" She nods fearfully. "Okay then, you need to get the shell out of here."

"But Mike-" she starts to say, more worried about him than her own safety.

"I'll find him. You get the shell out of here _now_, it's not safe for you." Clearly, we've overestimated her. I mean, she's only sixteen and she's only had a few months of training. The only reason we allowed her to come was because of Toby. Because the FOH took her little brother's life, she has every right to be here.

But now that she's almost gotten herself killed, there ain't no way I'm letting her stay. Mike will be heartbroken if anything happens to her. Shell, we _all_ will be.

Keira nods and I cover her long enough for her to get out. Then I go in search of Mike.

* * *

><p>"Holly, it doesn't have to be this way," I say with gritted teeth as I block her attack. I could probably easily beat her if I wanted to, but I find myself unable to make that choice. Yes, she's a murderer. But I still care for her. Not as much as I now care for Steph, but enough to want to give her a second chance.<p>

"It does," she grunts, locking her single katana with both of mine. In a way, she kind of reminds me of Karai a little. She fights like her. And if Shredder's adopted _daughter_ can be redeemed, maybe a FOH from South Africa can be too.

"Why do you hate us so much? We haven't done anything to you," I say as I push her back.

"Yes you did. You exist. You freaks are a blight of nature. Imperfections. And you claim to be just like us!" She pulls back, almost making me lose my balance, "That makes me sick."

I quickly regain my footing, "I thought you cared about me. Why play me like that if I disgust you so much?"

Holly smirks at me, "Because, at first, it was required that I gain your trust. What better way to do that than to get you to fall for me." She stalks around me and I turn my head to follow her movement, "And then, after a while, it just became too much fun," she says, practically mocking me.

"What amused me so much was the way you followed me around and believed _everything_ I told you... It was just so pathetic. And so ridiculous. In fact, I think the best part was when you ran to 'save' me the night I put down those other two freaks."

She's trying to get to me. Porter wants me to react, to lose my temper. But I'm not going to give her the satisfaction. Yes, what she said did hurt me. But I'm not here to fight for myself. If I give in to her jeers, I'll be letting down not only my friends, but my family as well. _All_ of them. Sensei, Raph, Don, and Mike. Annie, Amie, Cade and the twins. Casey, April, and Shadow. Aaron and Keira. _And Stephanie._

* * *

><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	85. Pinned

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co._

* * *

><p>I finally find Aaron and Mikey battling even more FOH in a central room. Highton's getting too close to a weird-looking machine for my comfort. I put one of my sai on my belt just long enough to throw a ninja star in his general direction, making him jump and drop a vial of something. The plastic tube bounces and rolls away from him. And I automatically know what it is.<p>

We both lunge for it at the same time. Only managing to knock the thing farther away from the both us._ Shell!_

I give him a smack to the head before I crawl after the thing, only to be stopped by a foot on my shell, which forces me to drop onto my plastron. Then, the guy's weight is gone. Mike's 'Cowabunga' follows the goon's grunt of pain.

"Thanks, Mikey!"

"No problem, Raphie," he says, breathlessly, his attention already focused on another group of thugs.

I pull to my knees and look around. But the vial of mutant killer is gone. Judging from Highton's expression, he's just realized the same thing.

_Shell, this is wonderful! Just great!_ Now I gotta play guard for the machine until we can figure out how to destroy it. _Genius better get his butt in here soon._

* * *

><p>After I knock out the girl who almost shot Don, I stand back to shell with him, just now noticing that my silver mask is gone. Someone managed to pull it off during the fight. Oh well, it's not that important.<p>

What's important is watching Sensei's back while he's still battling with Hun. Scratch that. Hun just fell over. Something tells me that he'll wake up _long_ after this battle is over. I have to admit that I admire my father-in-law very much.

The three of us split up, Don and Splinter going to help the other mutants, Casey, and April. I end up covering Leo. Who's getting just a little too chatty with Miss Snake. I know better than to attack Holly while her back's turned, but I'm sorely tempted to do so. I hadn't liked the haunted look on Leo's face when she'd betrayed him. Leo still gets that look occasionally. And it's all her fault.

I growl threateningly at the PD coming up to me, and manage to knock him out with a swift kick to the temple. A few more thugs stop just out of my reach.

"C'mon, you pieces of trash. Come and get me." I crook my finger at them, and draw my nunchuks again. "Come and get it," I say, going cat-eyed for the first time that night.

* * *

><p>I knock the thug off Raph's shell, wondering why my over-muscled brother was <em>crawling<em> on the floor. _Maybe he's practicing so that he can help Cade._ I find myself chuckling at the memory of him showing my niece how to crawl. Funniest thing I've _ever_ seen.

"What's so funny, mutant?" an FOH asks, coming at me with a long chain.

"Hmmm... I don't know... Could be your face. That or your haircut. Did ya get in a fight with a lawnmower or something?"

He glares at me and swings the chain. I dodge it easily, "Where did you learn to fight, pal? The kiddie gym?" Okay, I admit it. Not exactly my best joke. But I'm under a lot of stress here!

That's when I almost trip. I look down and see some kind of little plastic tube rolling away from me, full of some kind of liquid. _So that's why Raphie was crawling._ I look over to where Raph is now guarding their vaporizer-thingy. _He was trying to get it away from Highton._

There's a loud clinking sound and Aaron catches the other end of the chain with his bare hand before it can smack me in the face. He yanks it out of the goon's hand and I'm instantly reminded of the way he fought the first time we met him. I'd forgotten how freakishly strong he is.

"Thanks, Aaron. I owe ya one- AHHHH," I scream as Aaron hurls the chain in my general direction. I duck and the thing hits Dragon Face right in the face. I hadn't even heard the guy sneak up on me.

"Actually, Mike... That's two ya owe me," Aaron says, giving me a quick hand up before turning onto more thugs trying to sneak up to us.

"What where you thinking, _Ron_? You could have killed me!"

"Now, Mike. Why would I want to do that?" he asks, just a little too innocently. Trying to hide a smirk.

_Glad someone thinks this is funny._

* * *

><p>"Holly, you never really answered my question," I say, well aware that Annie's keeping thugs off of my back. "<em>Why<em> do you hate mutants so much? None of us here have _ever_ done anything against you. Yeah, we exist. But that doesn't make us evil."

"This isn't about evil. It isn't even about what's right or wrong, _Hamato_," she asks, gritting her teeth when she says my family name. "Like I said. You _things_ are freaks of nature. You're abominations to the natural order of things. Imperfect."

"Holly, look around you. We didn't start this fight. You, the PDs, and the FOH started this fight. And _all_ of you are normal humans. I've seen you _kill_ two people who _trusted_ you. Most crimes, or _imperfections_ as you call them, in the world itself are comitted by _humans_. Normal humans. If you ask me, humanity is not as perfect as you seem to think it is."

"Oh, and you think that you mutants are the perfect ones? That we should bow down before you?" she asks, arching an eyebrow.

I watch her warily, "I didn't say that. I was merely saying that _no one_ is perfect."

"So, in your mind, we're just as low as you?" Holly asks, fury in her voice now. It's very clear that she's about to lose her temper. I take a quick second to send Annie a warning glance, telling her to stay out of it. Porter takes that moment of distraction to lunge at me.

* * *

><p>After Sensei knocked Hun out for the count, I find myself with my bo snapped in half and backed into a corner. That is until Joe, the hydrokinetic mutant, finally decides that he's had enough. A wall of water rushes through the room from who knows where and knocks out every single PD and FOH. Only drenching us mutants.<p>

The only FOH in the main room still standing is Holly. She's standing over Leo, the point of her single katana at his throat while he glares up at her. We're completely still, every single one of us.

"Drop your weapons, or I slice Leonardo's throat," Holly calls out. All around me, the others drop their mismatched weapons. Those of us without, just clench our fists in frustration. Annie, who's just ten feet away from the two of them is still twirling her nunchuks.

"You hurt him, Porter, we kill you. Didn't think that one through, huh?" Annie asks menacingly, her voice the coldest I've ever heard it. My sister-in-law's _furious_. I don't blame her. I am too. And scared. If anything happens to Leo...

"And you'll still be without your precious leader," Holly answers back, icy venom in her voice. "If I go, he's going with me," she says as she pushes the sword point slightly into his skin, making Leo grunt in pain as his neck starts to bleed.

Beside me, Splinter gasps softly, eyes wide with fear. The same fear that's in all our eyes.

"Now that I've made my point... Drop those little nunchuks, Leopard."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	86. Unexpected

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to kaaayyytteee and superman15857 for reviewing!_

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><p>Clearly, I've underestimated Holly. She's better than I had thought. Still, I'd never expected her to pin me so quickly.<p>

I keep glaring at her even as I hear Annie give a soft growl and her nunchuks clatter on the ground. Porter looks away from my sister-in-law to the others, about to tell them the rest of her demands. And even I'm not expecting what happens next.

Annie gives a load _roar_ and launches herself at Holly, knocking the taller woman into the wall fifteen feet away. She then crouches defensively in front of me as I pull myself up and the others finally start moving again. Sensei squeezes my arm and Donnie wraps his arm around my shoulders.

But my eyes are on Leopard as she slinks to where Holly is still laying. My sister-in-law's back stiffens and she jerks away from the other woman, shaking violently. That can mean only one thing. Anansi's dead. And Annie's horrified. I don't blame her.

I pull away from the crowd and make my way over to her. She doesn't even move when I put my hand on her shoulder.

Then she turns and clings to me, "It was an accident, I _swear_. I only meant to knock her out..."

"I know, sis. Everything's okay now." I clear my throat, "Thanks."

She nods and pulls away from me and turns her head. Looking and listening for her husband. Speaking of which, Mikey and Aaron are nowhere to be seen either. I swiftly pick up my katanas. Annie's head jerks toward a doorway that looks as if it leads further into the building. She then bolts to it, disappearing inside.

With me, Don, and Sensei right behind her. I'm completely unaware of Keira following us.

* * *

><p>I just incapacitated the last goon, stabbing him in the leg with my sai. That leaves Highton. Mikey and Aaron converge on him from both sides of the room while I sit tight by the stupid machine. The vial of mutant killer's still nowhere to be seen.<p>

That's when my wife comes running through the doorway, her eyes on me. She's completely focused on making sure that I'm okay that she doesn't even notice Highton lunge at her.

"Annaleigh! Look out!" I yell, but it's too late. The FOH's has got my wife in a chokerhold. A knife to her throat. She struggles, but he presses the blade harder against her skin. I clench my fists, wishing that I could just tear him limb from limb. As it is, all I can do is glare. I'm not gonna give him _any_ reason to take my Wildcat from me.

Annaleigh snarls when the knife cuts into her skin, her slit-pupiled eyes narrowed.

"Let her go!" Aaron thunders, also clenching his empty fists helplessly. That's when I notice that one of his fists _isn't_ empty.

"I will. But only _after_ you put that," Highton begins, nodding toward the vial in my brother-in-law's hand, "in the machine and follow my instructions."

"So I can kill her anyway? I don't think so," Annie's brother snarls, his bright green eyes going cat.

Then he does something that none of us are expecting. Mikey caught on before the rest of us, but he pulls Aaron's arm down too late. _Shell no!_ Aaron drops the empty plastic tube while the rest of us stare at him. Highton's face is unbelieving. But the rest of our expressions are horrified.

Annaleigh uses the old FOH's distraction to wrestle out of his hold. She and Mike manage to catch her brother as he falls. Highton just stands there, still watching in disbelief. I barely even notice him.

I run across the room and take Aaron's hand. Mikey has his other one and my wife has his head in her lap. Leo and Don both have their hands on Mike's shoulders and Sensei has his hand on my shell.

"Why?" she asks, close to tears. "Aaron, why did you do that?"

I'm right there with her. I still can't believe that he _drank_ the poison.

Aaron coughs before he answers weakly, "I-it was the o-only way that h-he'd let you go, sis."

Annaleigh kisses his temple, crying softly.

"L-love you, sis. T-tell Amie..."

"Shhh. I love you t-too. And I'll tell her. I promise."

"No hard feelings, bro," I whisper, letting him know, again and for the last time, that I've forgiven him. Aaron nods slowly, painfully, and his eyelids flutter.

I wrap my free arm around my wife's shoulders as Aaron closes his eyes. He takes a few strangled breaths before becoming completely still.

Annaleigh lays her head on her brother's chest and starts sobbing. And that's when I become aware of Highton's laughter.

I pull away from my girl and launch myself at him, furiously beating the pulp out of him. I completely ignore his cries of pain and his pleads for me to stop. I'm only thinking of Aaron. That Aaron should still be here. That _he_ should be the one taking out this piece of trash.

I'm about to smash my fist into Highton's face for the tenth time when a strong hand grips my wrist. I look up into my wife's tear-filled face. She shakes her head, "No, _di hi_. Not like this. Please."

I drop the old guy and wrap my Annaleigh in my arms as she cries into my plastron.

* * *

><p>As Raph tries to comfort Annie in a corner of the main room, Leo, Sensei, Casey, April, and our friends tend to our injured. I'm looking over the machine, trying to figure out the best way to destroy it without making it explode.<p>

I'd just gotten off the phone with my wife only a minute ago. I'd called to let her know that I was okay, but I didn't tell her about Aaron. It's probably best that I leave that conversation until we get home. That way I can hold her if she needs me to. Shell, right now I'm needing _her_ to hold _me_. I still can't believe that we've lost so _many_. Out of our original number, we only have sixteen mutants left.

Out of the FOH and PDs, the only one dead is Holly.

I step back from the crude piece of tech and shake my head. Whoever put this thing together wasn't worried about durability. Oh well. That makes my job easier.

Mikey and Keira must have finished binding the gangsters. The both of them come and sit against the wall, watching quietly as I work. The dark-skinned girl snuggles closer to my orange-masked brother and he wraps an arm around her shoulders.

Out of the four of us, Mike was the closest to Aaron. The two would spend hours playing video games, or planning Mikey's next prank on Raph. Mike's gotta be feeling it almost as bad as Annie is.

"Why, Donnie?" I look up and follow his gaze. He's looking at our dead. "Why? All of them were _awesome_ people. Especially Aaron. Why would Highton want to kill them?" he asks, his voice close to breaking.

"Highton doesn't think like us, Mikey. He doesn't value life like we do," I answer softly, turning back to the rusty pieces of machinery.

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


	87. Beginning

_TMNT does not belong to me. Just Annie & Co. Big thanks to kaaayyytteee and Purple 'N' Blue Wings for reviewing!_

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><p>As soon as we reach the Lair, Don and I head straight for the couch where Amie and Steph are sitting while Sensei and Keira console a hysterical Mikey in the garage. I barely even notice Raph and Annie disappearing into their room to wake Cade from her nap. April and Casey head to my room, where Shadow's napping. Hard to believe it's only two in the afternoon. I feel like it's been years since we left just this morning.<p>

I pull Stephanie into my arms and just hold her. "Leo?"

"Hmmm?" I ask, breathing in her scent. "Yeah, Steph?"

"Where's Aaron?" Amie asks for my girlfriend. My pregnant sister-in-law looks at her husband, over at me, then back at Don.

Donnie starts shaking. Shell, I'm shaking too.

"Oh no!" Amie gasps, burying her face in Don's chest as she cries. Steph, still firmly in my arms, reaches over and starts rubbing Amie's back gently.

* * *

><p>Raph beats me to our room and scoops our daughter out of her crib. Cade gives a cry of complaint, but falls back asleep as her daddy kisses her forehead and lays her in my arms. He wraps both of his strong arms around me, our little girl between the two of us. We just stand there like that for I don't know how long. Just watching our baby. It won't be long and she'll be all grown up.<p>

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><p><strong>One year later...<strong>

Casey, April, and Shadow are at Casey's mom's for the big Jones family reunion. Or something like that. Keira and I are curled up on the couch while Leo and Steph entertain Amie and Don's twins. They're what Don calls mirror-image identical and they both look like their dad, just a shade lighter with mismatched blue and hazel eyes. Like Cade, they've both got four fingers and their eyes change. And they're four months old now and just starting to get into everything! Nowhere near as bad as Cade, who, at fifteen months, is already running! Which is why Sensei's holding her. She almost ran over little Aaron just five minutes ago while she was trying to catch Klunk. Delaney's just sitting in Stephanie's lap watching her brother, one thumb stuck firmly in her mouth while she plays with the sapphire ring on her Aunt Steph's left hand.

And, if you're wondering, Leo did pop the question! Just a month ago. Took him long enough. I mean, Raph and Don didn't wait very long, so why should Fearless? I mean, the wedding's six months away! I'd tried asking why, but Leo basically told me that it was none of my business. And Splinter had backed him up. Still doesn't mean that I'm not gonna try asking him again. As for me, I've already got my girl's ring, I'm just waiting for her to turn eighteen.

Where are Don, Amie, Annie, and Raph? Well, about seven months ago, Annie found out that she was pregnant again. And the baby's coming today! Shouldn't be too long now. I wonder how Cade's going to react to being a big sister. Right after the twins were born she used to have temper tantrums. Always when her parents or Uncle Leo paid any attention to the younger babies. It had gotten so bad that I'd started calling her my 'Little Fire Alarm.' I'd thought for sure that Raphie was gonna kill me for that.

Cay actually seems excited this time around, though. She's been saying 'baby' nonstop for a week now. And she's been dragging her little doll around the Lair for a month. _I just hope she's gentler with the baby than she is with that thing._

My girlfriend snuggles closer to me and I kiss her temple before whispering in her ear, "When the wait's over, ya wanna play some video games?" She breaks into a giggle fit, making me laugh too. For someone who's never touched a game console in her entire childhood, she's a pretty good gameplayer. Almost as good as Aaron was...

That's when Don and Amie come out of Raph and Annie's room, holding hands and smiling at us.

As soon as Delaney and Aaron see them, "Momma! Dada!"

Amie laughs and scoops Aaron off the floor, kissing his cheek, while Don takes little Delaney from Steph.

"The baby's here?" I ask, bouncing in my seat so much that I swear I'm shaking the couch.

Don nods and kisses his daughter's forehead.

* * *

><p>I head out to the living room to my family. They're all asking questions about my baby boy, but I wave them off. Don can answer 'em. It's about time Cade met her baby brother.<p>

"Daddy!" Cade calls from Splinter's arms, her own little hands reaching out to me. It won't be too long and she'll be too big for Sensei to pick up. I pull her close and take her back into our room.

"Momma, Momma!" Cade says as soon as she sees Annaleigh. My Wildcat smiles tiredly at our daughter, lightly bouncing the blanket-wrapped bundle in her arms.

"Do you want to see Trevor, sweetie?"

Cade nods and wiggles in my arms, making me and her mother laugh.

"Hang on just a minute, Cade. Ya gotta be gentle." She wiggles harder. "Cade Annaleigh," I say firmly. "You can see your brother, but you gotta calm down." This time, she does, "That's my sweet girl."

I sit on the edge of the bed and my wife pulls back the little blanket so that our girl can see her baby brother.

"Baby! Trev!" Cade says, kissing him noisily on the forehead and giggling. Trevor opens little pale amber eyes for just a moment before quickly falling asleep again. He's not even an hour old, but I know one thing for sure. Even though he looks like me, he's gonna be _exactly_ like his momma.

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><p><em>And that's a wrap! Thanks to all you wonderful readers and reviewers for sticking with me! Next chapter is gonna be a preview for a possible sequel. :)<em>

_Please R&R._


	88. Sneak Peek

_Big thanks to kaaayyytteee and Purple 'N' Blue wings for reviewing!_

_Okay, here's a little sneak peek at the possible sequel. Please, please, please review and let me know what you think!_

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><p>Cade stomped through the garage, completely ignoring her Uncle Don and Aunt Amie as they called to her. It wasn't long before she was racing across the roof tops of New York. Completely aware that her father was following her the whole time. <em>Why the shell can't he just leave me alone? Can't he just get it through his thick head that I <em>don't_ want to talk about it?_

But there was no use trying to outrun Daddy. She knew 'cause she'd tried it before. So, she kept going until she reached the park, stopping in the middle of the woods so that her father could catch up.

She kept her shell turned firmly toward him as he approached, "I'm fine, Daddy. I'm not gonna do anything stupid." Cade turned slowly toward him, "Just needed some air."

Raphael nodded, then wrapped her in his big arms, "I know you're not gonna do anythin' stupid. You're _a lot_ smarter than I was at your age. But you're sure as shell not fine. I'm not _that_ dumb."

Cade gave a half-hearted chuckle, burying her face in his chest. "Why Grandpa, Daddy? I mean, yeah he was old. But he wasn't _that_ old. I just want him back," she finished with a soft sob.

Raph tightened his arms around his daughter, "I know, Sweetie." His voice almost choked. "Splinter was my dad, ya know. I miss him just as much as you do."

"I'm sorry for being such a pain. I just... I just don't know what else to do," Cade said miserably.

Her dad kissed the top of her head, "You're not a pain. You're just hurting like the rest of us. There's nothin' wrong in losing it every once in a while. Better to stomp off then to explode. I should know. I was _a lot_ worse when I was your age."

"So I've heard," she said, trying to keep her voice light as she looked up at her Daddy's amber eyes.

Raph's expression was just a little stern, "Ya might want to apologize to Laney, though. She seemed pretty upset."

Cade pulled away and sighed, rubbing tear-filled eyes with her knuckles, "I know. I didn't mean to hurt her."

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><p><em>Please R&amp;R.<em>


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